Article by Angelo dePalma originally published on Biocompare Ergonomic pipettes help scientists avoid RSIs. Repetitive stress injury (RSI) is a common occurrence in laboratories, and is closely related to the ergonomics of operating instrumentation and equipment, and conducting simple but repetitive laboratory processes. Types and extents of injury vary, for example neck or back pain from sitting or bending a certain way for long periods. The key to avoiding RSI is to assume natural, strainfree posture while conducting experiments, for example using anti-fatigue floor mats and sitting supported by your…
Identifying pipette design factors to reduce ergonomic risk
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. The project involved: On-site investigation of pipetting operations at hospitals, clinics, and R&D facilities A review of published studies of pipetters An examination of injury statistics among pipetters An examination of the design of pipettes and the pipetting workstations DOWNLOAD KEY FINDINGS An evaluation of the ergonomic pipette design at the time revealed that each of…
How to pipette properly: Posture is key
Proper posture is the most important element in establishing good ergonomic work practices. During repetitive tasks such as pipetting, maintaining body positions that provide a maximum of strength with the least amount of muscular stress is important to minimize the risk of injury. A number of common pipetting techniques have been identified as potentially hazardous due to biomechanical stress factors. Graphic representations and the recommendations for corrective actions, made by various US governmental agencies and ergonomics experts, are presented below. Technique: Elevated, “winged elbow”. The average human arm weighs approximately…
RSI and YOU: Is your science career at risk from pipetting?
VIEW RSI AND YOU POSTER The pipetting problem When thinking about ergonomic and pain issues in the lab, is there anything more relevant than pipetting problems, particularly for those labs invested heavily in manual liquid handling and cell culture? Simply put, repetitive motion and hand strain are serious issues. In addition to risk of RSI, accuracy and precision can be compromised and lab productivity can suffer as a result. Proper posture is key Proper posture is the most important element in establishing good ergonomic practices. During repetitive tasks such as…
Get ahead of RSI and save your career
The strain of triturating cells using normal pipettes caused a repetitive strain injury in my right hand… to the point that I could no longer perform simple tasks like writing with a pen or pencil. My doctor told me to stop pipetting…” –Read Margarete’s full RSI cautionary tale – scroll to the bottom Carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, and tendonitis are just some examples of repetitive strain injury (RSI) that can result from extensive manual pipetting. Get ahead of these conditions before they begin to compromise your ability to do…
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