In 2001, a project to identify the underlying factors contributing to the development of ergonomic injuries to pipetters and to reduce the factors attributed to the design of the pipette was undertaken by VistaLab Technologies. An evaluation of the ergonomic pipette design at the time revealed that each of the major manufacturers produced an axial grip pipette. However, the ergonomic focus appeared to be limited to the plunger effort levels and grip contouring. Unfortunately, all of the axial design pipettes failed to address the fundamental issue of working posture, in particular, the…
Pipette Forces – Facts and Fiction
Force, simply defined, is the energy required to accomplish a task and there’s a lot more to pipette forces than meets the eye (or in reality, the thumb). In fact, aspirating and dispensing is only one function of pipetting that requires the use of the thumb muscles. Tip acquisition and ejection usually requires excessive forces that contribute significantly to muscle fatigue. A strong interrelationship also exists between posture and force – the need for additional exertion increases as posture deviates from neutral positions. Therefore, when considering forces while choosing a…
Ergonomics is a science, not a slogan.
At VistaLab Technologies, we take the science of ergonomics quite seriously. We spent years working with ergonomic experts to study the physiological dynamic of pipetting and the root causes behind injury. It was clear that simply decreasing button pressure or changing a grip wouldn’t make a pipette ergonomic – an entirely new type of device needed to be designed in order to truly minimize the risk factors so common with traditional pipettes. When selecting the best pipette, start by looking at the facts. Ovation is a whole new class of…
Resources & Links
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major national problem costing the economy – by conservative estimates – over $50 billion every year, according to OSHA and confirmed by a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences1 . For those who work in laboratories, the number one cause for work-related MSDs is the use of pipettes. By increasing your awareness of the causative factors for injuries and muscle stress, and adopting ergonomically-correct practices, the risk of injury can be greatly diminished. As a service of our professional community, we are pleased…
Best Practices for Workstation Organization
Ergonomists have suggested that everyone work within a so-called “comfort zone”. This is a semi-circle that your arms make as you reach out. Things that you use on a regular basis should ideally be within easy reach with your full arm. Things that you use frequently and repetitively should be within easy reach of your forearms. Much of the time, problems with reach are simply matters of rearranging your work area and moving things closer to you. Often it is a matter of habit — you are unaware that you…
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