The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine is home to the ErgoCenter, a center of ergonomic research, consulting and outreach established in 1993 by a consortium of academic, business and insurance interests. Integrated with DOEM clinical services, ErgoCenter personnel will visit UConn Health workstations, companies, and State agencies, to identify and solve ergonomic problems.
Ergonomic Services within UConn Health
If you would like to receive a workstation assessment and you work at UConn Health, please fill out the request form.
Ergonomic Services to Businesses, State Agencies and Individuals
If you work outside of UConn Health and are interested in negotiating a long-term contract for services such as workstation assessment, developing an ergonomic program, or introducing ergonomic training to your workplace, we would be happy to discuss opportunities to support your ergonomic needs. Please contact our ergonomist, Thomas Varghese at tvarghese@uchc.edu or 860-679-4564.
Work Station and Work Process Consultation
- Identify and evaluate workplace risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
- Develop recommendations for equipment and technique changes
- Redesign/retrofit existing workplaces and work processes to reduce MSD risk
- Design new/proposed workstations and processes
- Design return-to-work (RTW) stations for injured employees
- Workstation simulation/videotaping/retraining
- Design or evaluate new tools and processes, using sophisticated analysis tools in the Biodynamic Laboratory
Surveillance Services
- Review records to establish injury rates in a department or job description
- Survey other employees to identify risk factor locations
Company-Specific Ergonomic Programs
- Work with safety teams
- Develop capacity within a department for continuous ergonomic improvement, including risk evaluation, solution development and training delivery
- Evaluate intervention effectiveness, adjust interventions
On-Site Training
The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UConn Health has broad experience in designing and implementing innovative and effective occupational health and safety training programs for workers, managers, engineers, and health and safety professionals. Ergonomics trainings are central to these programs.
DOEM emphasizes an integrated approach to occupational health and safety training that combines extensive technical knowledge and expertise with interactive small group activities based around case discussions and clear fact sheets written in plain English (which can be translated, if needed). This approach draws from the expertise of the workers and managers and their knowledge of their jobs, hazards, and workable solutions, while providing accurate information that they can take back to the workplace for themselves and co-workers.
These on-site training courses can serve as the first step towards developing a sustainable hazard identification and control program in the workplace. We specialize in training small groups of workers and managers to identify hazards, generate solutions, train the workforce, and continuously monitor program results.
Sustainability
Sustainability of ergonomic changes and programs is crucial. The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and the ErgoCenter provide guidance in how to improve sustainability:
- Continuous attention to workplace ergonomics
- Participation from all levels in the organization
- Management commitment of resources and time
- Comprehensive ergonomic programs that address physical, psycho-social, and work organization risk factors
- Consistent communication about interventions and successes
- Consistent solicitation of ideas from all levels in the organization
- Integration of ergonomics with work site health promotion