Branching Out:

Ergonomics in

Green

and Wellness

Workplace

Design

July, 20 2017

Jennifer Law, CPE, SMS

Marsh Risk Consulting

Workforce Strategies – Ergonomics

Practice

Overview

Green Building Certification

LEED® Ergonomics Pilot Credit

Wellness Building Certification

Challenges

Going forward

Ergonomics “Ergonomics (or human factors) is 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 optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” – IEA & HFES

Ergonomists contribute to the design and evaluation of tasks, jobs, products, environments and systems in order to make them compatible with the needs, abilities and limitations of people.

Green vs. Sustainable Design

Green Design:

“Implies an interest in design that protects people’s health and well-being” - IDEC

“Design and construction practices that significantly eliminate or reduce the negative impacts of building on the environment and occupants” - USGBC

Sustainable Design:

“Protects health and well-being while also protects the global environment and ecosystems for future generations” -IDEC

USGBC: US Green Building

Council

Established in 1993 with a mission to promote sustainability-focused practices in the building and construction industry.

Created LEED® Guideline and Rating System.

LEED® : Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design

Existing buildings, new construction and renovations.

Voluntary standard to support and certify successful green building design, construction and operations.

Rating levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and

Platinum.

Nationally and Internationally recognized

(Canada, China, India).

LEED® : Why Certify?

Social Responsibility

Environmental Responsibility

Planet/Global

Health

Sustainability

Productivity

Cost Savings

Energy Savings

LEED V4: System Goals

LEED Pilot Credits:

The process allows projects to test more

innovative credits that haven't been through

USGBC's complete drafting and balloting

process.

Infographic courtesy of Lucy Hart, CCPE

LEED: Then & Now

LEED Pilot Credit EQpc44: Latest

update (2016)

1) Consider ergonomics early in the design process

3) Engage an ergonomist or health and safety specialist in the process to obtain 1 point towards LEED certification.

The Ergonomist or Health and Safety Specialist, in conjunction with the client, must develop a description of the ergonomics strategy that will be implemented. This includes citing references from HFES, ANSI, ISO, or CSA standards/guidelines.

Certified Ergonomists & Safety

Professionals Typically have an undergraduate degree in ergonomics, safety, the

physical sciences and/or a graduate degree in related field with several years of direct professional experience.

United States: Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics –http://www.bcpe.org or Board of Certified Safety Professionals -http://www.bcsp.org

Canada: Canadian College for the Certification of Professional Ergonomists - http://www.cccpe.ca/ or Registered Safety Professionals -https://www.bcrsp.ca/

UK: Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors -http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/ or Institution of Occupational Safety and Health https://www.iosh.co.uk/ , International Institute of Risk & Safety Management https://www.iirsm.org/

LEED Checklist:

LEED Pilot Credit 44 -Requirements:

Establishment

Develop an ergonomics strategy for all computer users. Complete the following

steps:

Identify goals of the ergonomics strategy

Identify how ergonomics principles will be integrated into computer work spaces

Identify occupant needs, including: occupant characteristics and/or

demographics, tasks, and machines, equipment, tools, work aids (METWA’s)

used to perform these tasks.

Redesign or retrofit workstation layouts and furnishings to support occupant

needs, utilize relevant standards or guidelines*. The process must include:

Review design options with occupants

Provide mock-ups, where feasible, of proposed designs for user testing

and/or feedback

Select appropriate layouts and furnishings based on the outcome of

occupant feedback/mock-ups

Ergonomic Standards & Guidelines:

BIFMA G1-2013

ANSI/HFES 100-2007

CSA Z412-00 (R2011)

ISO 9241-5:1998

LEED Pilot Credit 44

Available for two different phases in design/build:

one for BD+C and ID+C

projects http://www.usgbc.org/node/4631863?retur

n=/pilotcredits/Commercial-Interiors/v4

one for O+M: Existing Buildings projects

http://www.usgbc.org/node/4631863?return=/pilotcr

edits/New-Construction/v4

Wellness

National Wellness Institute

“An active process through which people

become aware of, and make choices

toward, a more successful existence.”

– National Wellness Institute

6 Dimensions of Wellness

National Wellness Institute

The WELL Building Standard™

Certification system for measuring, certifying and monitoring

the performance of building features that impact health and

well-being.

First building standard that focuses solely on the health and

well-being of building occupants

The concept was pioneered by Delos, a wellness real estate

firm, and is based on research that explores the connection

between buildings and the health and wellness of its

occupants.

Offers accreditation for individuals.

Aligns with LEED – same certifying body, Green Business

Certification Incorporation (GBCI).

Three levels: Silver, Gold and Platinum

WELL Building Standard

WELL Certification provides the opportunity to design and build with a human-

centered approach through the “WELLogaphies”:

WELL Project Checklist:

Comfort example

WELL Project Checklist:

Fitness example

WELL Project Checklist:

Lighting example

Fitwel Building Standard:

Facility Innovations Toward

Wellness Environment Leadership

A collaboration between the Center for Active Design, Centers for Disease Control and the US General Services

Fitwel building certification has described itself to be simpler and rooted in design, research and methodology.

Lower cost alternative

Fitwel Champions for companies and FitwelAmbassadors for individuals.

Fitwel Building Standard:

Facility Innovations Toward

Wellness Environment Leadership

Uses a weighted scoring

system for a building to

earn 1, 2 or 3 stars

resulting from the

assessment of seven

“Health Impact”

categories:

Fitwel Building Standard:

Sample Scorecard

Fitwel Building Standard:

Sample Scorecard

Challenges Post-Occupancy feedback, timeline

Lack of training

User safety & ergonomic issues

Safety & ergonomic design issues

Re-assessment costs

Retrofit and replacement costs

Lack of collaboration with design team and stakeholders

All can be avoided in the planning phase

Sit/Stand Desks – Case example

Different policies

between departments

Lighting –

Case example

Natural light in addition to

artificial light

Measured 75 – 150 foot

candles (ideal is 30-50 fc)

Complaints of neck discomfort

and headaches

Raised monitors to block light

Task Chairs - Case Example

Corporate Real Estate set the chair standard with

new projects (build outs, renovations, moves, etc).

No lumbar support.

Reached out to ergonomics consulting team for

feedback after establishing partnership, roles and

streamlining of corporate program

Chair standard was eventually changed per

product review by the ergonomists.

Benching System - Case Example

Uniform desk height with no potential manual height

adjustment (if needed).

Some have metal bar underneath to prevent keyboard tray

installation.

Flooring - Case Example

Consider Slip Index

Cleaning methods –

green?

Carpet - Case Example

Sustainable

material, complex

pattern (e.g.

dizziness)

Recycling – Case ExampleUpdate walking path and housekeeping

policies/procedures.

Treadmills – Case example

Individual vs. shared

Private office vs.

cubicle

Establish policy and

guidelines

Proper use, spacing,

slip/trip/falls, footwear,

coordination, motor

skills, etc.

Root cause of

requests?

Better wellness

strategy?

The Design Team

Architects, Interior Designers, Engineers, Builders, Facility Managers, EH& S Professionals, Ergonomists, Wellness Consultants, Industrial Hygienists, Procurement, Risk Managers, Department Managers, Supervisors, Employees.

Multidisciplinary

Key stakeholders

Activity ExamplesMock-up workstation reviews

User feedback based on specific criteria

Design standards assessments

Steering Committee

Regular, scheduled meetings/confcalls with design team

Review and revise safety & ergo policies and procedures to reflect new workstation elements implemented

Moving Forward Who is in charge of the project? Who do they report to?

Gather, track and analyze relevant occupancy or user data (e.g.

feedback and surveys).

Monitor post-occupancy costs to resolve

Initiate conversations with Facilities and Design teams

Visibility of Ergo/Safety professional among design community –

Internal, local, national

CEU events for design community

Show value in early intervention

Show value in partnership role

Appeal to what is important to company culture: Social Responsibility,

Sustainability, Productivity, Cost Savings, Energy Savings, etc.

Promote collaboration among design team, not just users

Speak their language - Use the Ergo Pilot Credit to get your foot in

the door

Learn basic LEED and wellness building terminology, standards,

codes, guidelines.

Questions?

Jennifer Law, MS, CPE, SMS | Vice President MARSH Risk Consulting

Workforce Strategies Practice Safety, Health, Ergonomics & Human

Factors

100 North Tryon Street, Suite 3600, Charlotte, NC 28202

+ 704 374 8142 | Fax + 704 374 8642 |

jennifer.law@marsh.com

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