ERGONOMICS: A Safe Bet On The Job

By Bernadette Doran

Say the word “ergonomics,” and most people think of a chair that supports good posture and sits you high enough at your desk so you don’t get carpal tunnel syndrome from pushing that mouse around endlessly.

But what about an “ergonomic uniform”? Can what a hospitality worker, police officer or delivery person wears on the job actually make a difference in productivity and well-being?

You bet. According to Humansystems, Inc., ergonomics is “The systematic application of knowledge about the psychological, physical and social attributes of human beings in the design and use of all things which affect a person’s working conditions.” And for many people, putting on a uniform every day is step one of creating their working conditions, clothing which will contribute to – or detract from – their safety, productivity, comfort and health.

The word ergonomics is derived from two Greek words, ergon meaning “work” and nomos meaning “laws.” This science was developed during World War II, specifically to overcome performance failures due to human error in new, high-tech defense systems. Because of its success, ergonomic principles were applied to the design and development of almost all military and aerospace systems and quickly spread to industrial and consumer sectors as well, influencing the design of just about everything from punch presses to shampoo bottles.

Despite the obvious humanitarian benefits, ergonomics and economics go hand in hand, and profitability is a primary driving force. “An intentional ergonomic policy is healthy for the employee and for a company’s bottom line,” wrote Wayne Elsey of 3rd Watch in a recent issue of Occupational Health and Safety. “Businesses recoup the savings in reduced claims on worker’s comp-ensation, not to mention greater workforce production when their employees are feeling healthy and able to perform their duties.”

Long before it was an official science, ergonomics, disguised as common sense, held sway over many decisions regarding uniform design. The position of a sword at a soldier’s side, tropical weight wool and the sun-protective flap on a French foreign legionnaire’s cap are all actually ergonomic designs. And sometimes it just takes a bit of observation and a simple idea to make all the difference in the world. Case in point: The surgeon’s disposable gown. Cornell University, an international leader in the science of ergonomics, studied how restricted the surgeon’s arms were during surgery, making him fatigue more quickly and be more prone to error. Cornell’s computer-aided design solution: The simple addition of gussets under the arms instead of traditional set-in sleeves, giving the surgeon a tremendous new range of movement, a new level of stamina and greater accuracy in the operating theater.

For the uniform apparel industry right now, some timeworn challenges remain (how do you make comfortable shoes for people who work on their feet all day?) and some unexpected new ones have arisen (do we need to consider bioterrorism and germ warfare in developing fabrics?). And in general, the industry has been lagging behind consumer apparel in bringing ease of movement, protection and other enhanced features to uniform apparel. For example, Lycra has been a mainstay in every fashionable woman’s closet for 25 years but is just now stretching into the uniform industry, and some shoes for the ordinary weekend athlete reach the heights of ergonomic perfection.

But there is notable moves forward in making uniform apparel a serious contribution to on-the-job performance, and a few industry leaders are showing the way. Because our feet are truly our foundation, Elsey works from the ground up. “Your body cannot possibly feel 100% healthy without proper footwear support,” he says. “If you spend any time at all on your feet, you know exactly how different you feel when your feet are cradled instead of crammed.”

Elsey acknowledges that athletic shoes are state-of-the-art in ergonomic design and uses consumer innovations as inspiration for product design for his three companies: Nautilus for safety, manufacturing and distribution footwear; Skidbuster for the hospitality industry and 3rd Watch, which serves police, fire and security personnel.

“Our strategy,” he says, “is to make athletic shoes with job requirement features. All our shoes are ‘job-fitted’ – in other words, we make the shoe for the specific occupation.” An example, he says, is the shoe Nautilus designed for UPS, which received international acclaim. It wasn’t long before FedEx was knocking on Elsey’s door for their own design, and Nautilus delivered for them as well.

Elsey calls his design approach “athletech,” a three-piece molded construction based on athletic shoe lasts that fit the foot and give a comfortable, massaging foundation to enhance the structural integrity of the foot and its natural movement. He also has instituted the “Ten Commandments of Safety and Comfort” that dictate all his product design, including foam padding in tongue and collar, full-grain leather upper for maximum breathability and durability and removable, anti-fatigue sock liners for cushioning and shock absorption.

Elsey is a true champion for happy feet on the job. “I will not produce anything that’s not ergonomically correct,” vows Elsey, and ergonomic design doesn’t mean higher costs, just smarter thinking up front. “Our products actually cost less than most competitors,” he says, and clients seem to agree; his business is up 40% this year in a generally sleepy market.

Lycra and other ergonomic fibers are showing up more and more in the apparel industry, according to Aravind Immaneni at DuPont. “Because garments made with Lycra move with you, they reduce muscle fatigue. That’s why athletes and bicyclists, for example, wear them,” says Immaneni, who would like to see the same advantage given to workers who are always on the move on the job.

DuPont has made a brand new introduction this year with stretch garments for police uniforms. “When they bend down, the garments move with them, so they improve both freedom of movement and range of motion for police officers, which is very important. We’ve had an extremely positive response from the officers who are wearing them – they’re very popular,” says Immaneni.

DuPont also is looking at ways to help people who are on their feet all day, from flight attendants to hospitality personnel, because of serious health problems that can result. “Lycra Soft in hosiery helps increase blood circulation in the feet and legs for people who stand all day,” says Immaneni. “It’s a new industry application of medical hosiery, which helps reduce leg pain and improve circulation.”

But don’t think for a minute that those stockings have to look like something your 90-year-old grandmother would wear. DuPont recently outfitted waitresses in a Las Vegas hotel with Lycra Soft hose to complement the rest of their outfit – very high heels and very short skirts. Not only were the hose black and tantalizingly sheer, they also had a tiny bikini panty knitted in for maximum consumer eye appeal should that skirt ever happen to flip up. DuPont is also at work on color-coordinated hose for flight attendants in both European and U.S. markets.

Expect much more innovation from DuPont for industry apparel ideas, says Immaneni. “Teflon has been used extensively in workwear and hospitality apparel because it repels and releases stains so well. We’ll be expanding this thinking into other areas, making fabrics more wrinkle-resistant, even anti-microbial. We’ll be introducing a lot of new products soon,” he says.

And, like Elsey of 3rd Watch, Immaneni underscores affordability. “DuPont sees tremendous opportunity for bringing innovative products to the industry at very competitive prices. I want to change the perception that these products are expensive, because they’re not.”

Eric Rubin of Blue Generation is the first to agree with Immaneni. Blue Generation manufactures industry apparel with Teflon fabric protector, and they’re a bargain in the long run, Rubin says.

Rubin says Teflon adds about a dollar to the cost of a knit shirt and two dollars to a woven shirt Blue Generation makes, but because it’s an “invisible defense” that resists spills and gets stains out more readily, shirts stay cleaner longer and last longer.

That’s why Rubin calls Blue Generation garments “the high-tech solution for restaurants, bars, hotels, maintenance, landscaping, petroleum, hospitality and moving companies.” He’s eagerly incorporated Teflon into the product line and now offers more colors than any other company as well as the largest size selection.
Another shining example of ergonomic innovation – literally – is Airex, a brand new reflective material just introduced into the market by Safe Reflections. Airex is a patented, breathable, reflective trim that allows air to flow through the reflective area. It doesn’t trap heat, making conditions cooler for outdoor workers. Airex uses 3M Scotchlite reflective material, employs a proprietary adhesive system that extends both the life and the aesthetics of the product, and exceeds ANSI compliance requirements.

“We developed Airex trim in response to the occupational market’s request for a product that allows workers to stay safe and be more productive by providing cooler, more comfortable and less constricting workwear,” according to Bob Koppes, president of Safe Reflections. Airex is available in stock patterns and also can be customized for logo and other design.

An ergonomic attitude also includes how to make job easier, and that led King Louie to put a cell phone pocket with a Velcro flap inside their Townsend jacket, according to Roger Carroll. Strategically placed, it gives the wearer a Quick Draw McGraw capability, allowing much easier access to that cell phone during an urgent security situation.

Another simple ergonomic solution from King Louie is the Universal shirt with two-seam construction detail. “Tubular goods knitted in an oval with one seam have a tendency to torque, twist around on you and become very uncomfortable. Two-seam construction greatly reduces that problem, and keeps the worker more comfortable so he can be more productive,” says Carroll.

Just like 3rd Watch, Liberty looked to the consumer market for ergonomic inspiration in jacket design. “A lot of jackets have a biswing back with an inverted pleat that expands when you move forward. For police officers, that’s always been a safety concern. Somebody can come from behind, grab the pleats, and bring the cop down,” says Steve Robinson of Liberty.

So Liberty based their Millennium Police Jacket on state-of-the-art ski jacket design, made of three-ply nylon DuPont Supplex with a seven-piece back construction, a removable collar liner made of 3M Thinsulate and a Burlington industries fabric coating that creates a breathable, windproof hydrofusion system. The jacket has zippered underarm mesh vents and seven zippered pockets, including horizontal ones that provide instant access to weapons at just the right hand level.
“Test after test, in market after market, everyone instantly notices the freedom of movement and that the more active you become, the more breathable the jacket is,” says Robinson.

It doesn’t matter whether ergonomic inspiration for industry apparel comes from the consumer market, client request, or simple observation. Anything that keeps workers safe, healthy and productive gets the job done – better and more economically than ever before.