45th Annual Conference of the Association of Canadian Ergonomists (ACE)

Montréal, October 7-9, 2014

Diverse interventions, diverse populations: What are the issues and challenges facing ergonomics?

The 2014 conference will be delving into the diversity of ergonomic practices: mobilization, assessments, transformation projects, training, advice, research-interventions, etc. Whether our interventions are short or carried out over a longer period, use a systematic approach or concentrate on one specific aspect, how do we help improve work situations and preserve health in the workplace?

As for the growing diversity of the work force, what knowledge and tools do ergonomists use to

keep this shift in mind? While ergonomists have traditionally taken people’s anthropometric

characteristics into consideration, what about the age, gender, immigrant status and job status

of the workers? Are our practices and research adapted to this diversity?

Diversity, whether in ergonomic practice or in the populations we serve, raises numerous issues and challenges. First, what exactly do we mean when we talk about ergonomic interventions?

Evaluating our interventions, for example, is a sizable challenge given the diversity of the practices. Can considering the differences between people lead to discrimination? What intervention strategies should we develop? How does the current ergonomic training prepare

practitioners to meet these challenges? How can research help shed light on the issues affecting interventions in the workplace?