 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
USF showcases the ergonomic way
By JOHN PETRIMOULX © St. Petersburg Times, published April 20, 2001 TAMPA -- As office manager for the University of South Florida Department of Geology, Mary Haney spends a lot of time at her computer, moving her mouse back and forth. She never thought much about her keyboard, mouse pad, chair or desk until her arm began to ache and a doctor told her she had a repetitive stress injury. She called Cliff Knox, a risk manager for USF's Division of Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, and was told her keyboard needed to be moved, her desk was too high and her mouse pad too far away. Knox also suggested she get out of her chair periodically and move around. Knox helped find an ergonomic desk and a chair with moving parts so Haney can support her forearms and back while keeping her feet flat on the floor. The new furniture and months of physical therapy did the trick. "At one point the pain was so bad I couldn't even brush my teeth or comb my hair," Haney recalled. "It took a long time, but I've been OK now for four or five months." Haney's desk and chair were on display this week at USF's Special Events Center for the third annual USF Ergonomic Expo. The event was organized by the risk management division to showcase state-approved vendors of ergonomic furniture and offer potential buyers a chance to experience the goods. "The expo is a way of being more proactive toward injuries," Knox said. "If we can get the word out more, we hope to head off a lot of the problems where we get called after the injury has happened." Two of the better-known ergonomic chairs displayed were the Aeron by Herman Miller and the Leap by Steelcase, the chair Haney picked out. Russell Sasman, who sells the Aeron chair, pointed out the meshlike frame that keeps users cool, even sweaty basketball players. "The Miami Heat are in the process of installing Aerons for all the players," he said. He also touted the environmentally friendly nature of the chair, which is made almost exclusively from recycled materials. Jane Neilsen showed off the Leap chair's adjustable armrests, one of the features Mary Haney used to customize the chair to her body. "You can move them up and down, in and out from your body, and they swivel," Neilsen explained. So what does it cost to stay healthy? According to a recent Forbes magazine review, the Aeron and Leap can each retail for more than $1,000, far more than many USF offices can afford. But Knox said the vendors displaying wares at the Expo have contracts with the state and offer prices substantially lower than retail, as much as 50 percent lower for the chairs. And then there are the considerations beyond cost, such as government regulations and the potential workers' compensation claims.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times |
