Congres Ergopract

Brussels, 29th, 30th, 31st March 2006
Initial announcement
Call for papers

Developments in ergonomics and its practices



Overview

Ergonomics is constantly changing. Considered from the 1950s onwards as a technology involving adapting working environments to humans, it is developing alongside transformations in workplaces and organisations. Nowadays, whilst it has not abandoned its initial aims, it is positioning itself as the applied science of human activity, and in particular in the workplace. The IEA (International Ergonomics Association) defined ergonomics in 2000 as the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimise human well-being and overall system performance.

With the support of the scientific community, the aim of ErgoPract is to evaluate on a regular basis the practical and scientific questions that professional ergonomists face.

ErgoPract 06 promotes the discussion of various topics, on the one hand involving the contribution that ergonomics makes to changes and development in the workplace and on the other hand involving working methods and how they have evolved in order to improve and confirm diagnosis.

Changes in working conditions

Our conception of working conditions is changing just as working conditions themselves are changing. Recent legislation in European countries has been adapted to these changes and channels them. Whilst the idea of prevention is not being ignored, we are moving on to the wider concept of “well-being” at work. This change is coming about as we are moving on from an appreciation of working conditions focusing on material aspects such as workstations to a more wide-ranging, systematic approach, including work organisation, social networks and environmental factors.

In particular, the following topics will be considered:
  • Changes in protection and prevention legislation, and its impact on developments in working conditions.
  • How ergonomics has contributed to a reduction in working hours, part-time work and flexible working hours.
  • A review of ergonomics in technology transfers, business relocation and teleworking.


The psychosocial aspects of work

Our conception of working conditions is changing just as working conditions themselves are changing. The stresses of work are no longer considered to be primarily linked to the physical or even mental aspects of any particular activity, but rather to the other subjective components present in the working environment and the organisation. In this area as well, legislation is changing and adapting to this common working reality.


In particular, the following topics will be considered:
  • How legislation in the domain of subjective work stresses has changed.
  • The contribution of ergonomics to questions of stress, harassment and violence at work.
  • What stance does ergonomics adopt when faced with questions of suffering, motivation and satisfaction at work?
  • What about the social consequences of ergonomics?


Repetitive work

One of the professional constraints that particularly interests ergonomists and health-at-work professionals today is repetitive work and its effects on health, such as RSI (repetitive strain injuries), WRD (work related disorders), CTD (cumulative trauma disorder), OS (overuse syndrome) etc.. By focusing on work organisation, ergonomics aims to reduce the risks associated with repetitive work by alleviating and changing it.

In particular, the following topics will be considered:
  • How does ergonomics propose to reduce repetitive work?
  • What methods does it recommend for examining risk factors linked to repetitive work?
  • Is the way in which we assess activities appropriate in terms of ascertaining how repetitive work affects health?


Ergonomics: evaluating and managing risk

In terms of developments in prevention and worker protection, we are gradually witnessing a shift from the notion of ‘best-effort undertaking’ to ‘firm commitment’. The consequences therefore stand out in terms of an “open” evaluation of the risks to the health, safety and well-being of workers and the establishment of measures aimed at preventing or reducing them, rather than in terms of rules and recommendations that material objects have to conform to.

In particular, the following topics will be considered:
  • How does ergonomics participate in risk analysis and in the prevention and reduction of these risks?
  • What methods does ergonomics suggest?
  • What work risks are of particular interest to ergonomics?


Ergonomics outside of organisations; product ergonomics.

The general public, just like company members, often discovers ergonomics through advertising, press articles or other media aimed at promoting the benefits of particular products. Is product ergonomics today an easy answer to certain problems posed by working conditions in companies?

In particular, the following topics will be considered:
  • The way in which ergonomics is customarily used and abused in the domain of products. In particular, the image of ergonomics that is put across by these products?
  • To what degree can products qualifying as “ergonomic” be seen as legitimate?
  • What technical documentation should accompany products giving information about the ergonomic characteristics and the manner in which they have been integrated into the product?
  • To what extent is the organisation that contributed to giving the ergonomic label to the product in question competent?
  • What role should the ergonomic consultant play with regard to these products?
  • Are the problems and risks to which ergonomic products refer really ergonomic: are they real problems or not?
  • What recourse does a company have if it has acquired a product that is qualified as ergonomic, but if the anticipated positive effects do not appear when it is used or if it even produces the opposite effect?


Free papers

A number of topics tackling the general theme of ErgoPract but that do not fit under any of the sub-headings above will nevertheless be considered by the scientific committee.

Here are several examples of such topics:

How ergonomics in companies has developed.
How actors in the industry have changed their methods and practices.
Independent ergonomist, consultant ergonomist, employed ergonomist?
Ergonomics and older workers.
Ergonomics and technological development: is ergonomics still specifically active in IT?


Paper proposals

Authors are invited to send in their paper proposal as a synopsis (with a title and 5 key words at most) by 1st December 2005 at the latest. Proposals should be sent only by email to the following address: rpatess@ulb.ac.be with “paper proposal: ErgoPract 2006” in the subject line.

Synopses should be a maximum of two A4 pages long and should include the author’s or authors’ name(s), and their complete contact details as well as their main email address for correspondence and in order for them to be able to receive the final decision of the scientific committee.

Session proposals

Coordinators of a complete session (comprising 4 to 5 papers maximum at the round table, with each participant detailing his standpoint) are invited to send a detailed proposal by email by 1st December 2005, including the session subject, the names and contact details of the participants and a summary of the different contributions.

Record of proceedings

A complete record of proceedings for ErgoPract 06 will be published in hard and electronic copy in time for the start of the conference and will be distributed to participants.

Practical details
  • Venue: the Tour and Taxis site in the centre of Brussels.
  • Adjoining event: Ergonoma European trade show 2006.
  • Organisation: CREIFBET (Ergonomic wellness at work research, study, information and training centre) in partnership with the Ergonoma journal and CREATIC (research centre for applied Ergonomics in ICT) at the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
  • Participant registration rights: 475€ (registration before 1st February 2006 – 525€ after this date) including participation in all the sessions, a hard copy of the record of proceedings (+ CD-ROM) as well as refreshments during the breaks.



Dates for your diary

Deadline for submission of synopses and session proposals:15th December 2005
Selection results will be communicated to authors: 1st January 2006
Definitive programme: 15th January 2006
Deadline for submission of final texts so that the record of proceedings can be published: 15th January 2006
Conference dates: 29th, 30th and 31st March 2006


Additional information, secretariat

CREATIC Professor René PATESSON
Université Libre de Bruxelles
50, avenue F.Roosevelt, CP 124.
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium

Email: rpatess@ulb.ac.be

If you wish to visit at the same time Ergonoma 2006, ERGONOMA 2006 international tradeshow
Thurn & Taxis Brussels Belgium
March 29 - 31, 2006
The international meeting place for ergonomics users and practitioners ergonomic furniture, equipment and accessories for office and industrial workplaces services and consultants - designers - professional bodies

please preregister for free at http://ergonoma.com/site/ergonoma_en/articles.php?lng=en&pg=5

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