Title: Technology acceleration and corporate ergonomic policy

Authors: Carol L. Clark; Amy Hennington; Jennifer Williams; Jeff Clark

Addresses: Department of Computer Information Systems, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street BAS 350, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street BAS 346, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems, College of Business, University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712, USA. ' Department of Computer Information Systems, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street BAS 360, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA

Abstract: Technology use is best described as 'more and increasing'. The frequency of use is more and increasing. The range of use across diverse platforms is more and increasing. Likewise the attention to the ergonomic challenges presented by this technology acceleration should also be more and increasing. Emerging issues such as 'nomadic workers' and 'blackberry thumb' add to the ergonomic challenge. Ergonomic advances have been significant, yet they have not conquered all of the old problems nor have they anticipated all of the new problems generated by the 'more and increased' technology deployment. This article provides an overview of the ergonomic injuries that have been associated with computer use and then reviews changes in the computing landscape and the work environment that have important ergonomic implications. Based upon this review, it calls for increased organisational commitment to ergonomic policy and concludes with some suggested available resources.

Keywords: ergonomics; ergonomic policy; mobile computing; nomadic work; musculoskeletal injuries; repetitive stress injuries; technology acceleration; risk management; technology deployment; technology use; computer use; information technology.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBCRM.2012.047065

International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management, 2012 Vol.3 No.2, pp.136 - 147

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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