Companies throughout developed countries often implement ergonomics as a risk management tool. Offices hire firms to show their employees how to sit at their desk, type on their keyboard and read their monitors in a way which should not result in injury or strain, which could effect the employees productivity, or worse, result in a workers comp claim (for example: carpal tunnel syndrome).
This training is helpful to the employees and employers alike.
But what if your office is a sweltering farmland in the southern lands of Africa and your job requires 12 hours a day of picking tobacco? Where do ergonomics play into this occupation?
That’s a question Aon is answering. With their initiative, The Work Right Foundation, the insurance giant is aiming to provide basic, ergonomic tools to manufacturing and agricultural workers in Africa, who are in desperate need of tools to work safely and without inflicting wear and tear to the human body.
We spoke with Vicki Missar, associate director of Aon’s Ergonomics Consulting, via email about Aon’s initiative in Zimbabwe.
“The Work Right Foundation has a mission to help spread ergonomics into industrially developing countries by getting companies to donate new or used ergonomic items (or money) to the foundation,” she said. “I started the foundation this year. From a historical standpoint I was inspired by Professor Pat Scott, HoD.
, Rhodes University, South Africa, a professor of ergonomics in Africa who dedicated her career to this cause. I saw her speak at the International Ergonomics Conference in Maastricht, The Netherlands two years ago and am now in a position to help.”
Aon hopes to raise 2,000 ergonomically effective items for distribution to Zimbabwe’s workers by the end of June, and the desire to do something has grown.
“This just started but the swell of enthusiasm to reach out and help others has been amazing,” said Missar. “We have pulled together ergonomic professionals from several countries in addition to the amazing efforts and support of Aon.”
The initiative is not stopping with Zimbabwe. The foundation hopes to target one industrial developing country each year. For more information or to donate, click here.
This is a shame – no program was ever completed and no products or money has ever been given to people in need