ReflectionsLos Alamos National Laboratory Vol. 3, No. 3 • April 1998 Los Alamos’ Russian ‘Ambassadors’ … pages 6 and 7 Reflections Inside this issue … Cover photo illustration by Edwin Vigil Ergonomics . Page 3 Let’s get physical BEAM robotics . Page 4 I promised myself a few weeks ago, for the “umpteenth” Lab, pueblos . Page 5 time, to get more physically fit. I just know I’ll feel better, Russian have more stamina and be better able to deal with on-the-job ‘ambassadors’ . Pages 6 and 7 stresses. That summer is fast approaching — and with it the People . Pages 8 and 9 shedding of concealing jackets and bulky sweaters — only Just for fun . Page 11 adds urgency to my need to get more fit. But with a little will power, I hope not to have too much trouble reaching my goal. Physicist sets sail . Page 12 After all, I live in Northern New Mexico ... And I work at the Lab. What does living in Northern New Mexico and working at the Lab have Correction: The cover story in the to do with my being able to get more physically fit? They take away my March issue of Reflections about excuses for not exercising regularly. The area’s usually sunny skies and TA-21 incorrectly said no one works serenely beautiful landscape literally beckon one to get out and walk around at the facility. The Ecology Group or go for a jog. (ESH-20) is located in a building at I can step out of my office building in Technical Area 3 during the lunch DP West, and the gates are open hour, walk for a short distance in almost any direction and be bombarded during the day. with scenic views and physically challenging terrain. I can confine my outings to strolls on the sidewalks that loop around the area, or I can pick up the pace and venture onto one of the many winding trails on and around Lab property — a personal favorite is the fitness trail through the woods that begins near the Lab’s Wellness Center. On those days when I’ve taken a vigorous walk at lunch time, I get back to Reflections the office and the old heart muscle is pumping pretty good, the tightness in Reflections, the Laboratory monthly my shoulder muscles has disappeared, and I’m refreshed and ready to tackle publication for employees and retirees, the second half of the day. I honestly don’t know why I don’t make getting is published by Public Information out and walking every day at lunch time an unbreakable habit. (PA-1). The staff is located at TA-3, We at the Lab are indeed lucky to work in such exercise-friendly surround- Building 100, and can be reached by ings, but that’s not all we’ve got going for us with regard to fitness and e-mail at [email protected], by telephone at 7-6103, by fax at 5-5552 health. We’ve got the Wellness Center. It’s a great resource for those Lab or by regular Lab mail at Mail Stop employees who care about their physical well-being. C318. The individual telephone The Wellness Center, a 15,000 square foot facility at TA-3 off West numbers are listed below. Jemez Road near Bikini Atoll Road, is managed by Occupational Medicine Editor: (ESH-2). It has two aerobic workout areas with 13 treadmills, nine stair Jacqueline Paris-Chitanvis, 5-7779 steppers, five stationary bikes, two recumbent bicycles, four ergometers, Production coordinator: two cross-country ski machines, two upper body ergometers and one Denise Bjarke, 7-6103 climbing machine. It also has a weight room with circuit and free weight Graphic designer: equipment and offers a number of health-promotion classes and special Edwin Vigil, 5-9205 health services, such as screenings for high blood pressure and diabetes. If Photographer: you haven’t taken advantage of the Wellness Center you might consider Fred Rick, 5-9202 giving it a try. To find out more about what the Wellness Center has to offer, Staff writers: check out its home page at http://drambuie.lanl.gov/~wellness/ on the Web. Steve Sandoval, 5-9206 April is Cancer Control Month, and May is Employee Health and Fitness Ternel Martinez, 5-7778 Month. The Wellness Center has some events planned during these months Editorial coordinator: that will be of interest. John A. Webster, 7-5543 But whether you use a facility like the Wellness Center or head outdoors, it really does pay to exercise regularly. Health-care professionals tell us a Los Alamos National Laboratory is an healthy person is a more productive one. And who doesn’t want to be more Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity productive? Some days, though, it just helps your sanity to get out of the employer. It is operated by the office in the middle of the day and work off the stress. University of California for the U.S. And speaking of health and productivity, a major workplace concern is Department of Energy. ergonomic injuries on the job. To find out more, see “Ergonomics: old disci- pline for modern problems” on Page 3. Printed on recyclable paper April 1998 2 Reflections Ergonomics: old discipline for modern problems by Ternel N. Martinez discipline has been around for a tion and awkward posture. So any while, and apparently understood employee, from the person at a work- Would you believe that people have by some. station to the glove box worker to the been studying ergonomics for at least But ergonomic injuries still pose a lifter to the mail room clerk, is suscep- 2,000 years? At least that’s the argu- major health problem for many tible to ergonomically related ment Patrick Girault of Hazardous industries and the Lab, one that may injuries,” said Rowell, who is the only Materials Response (ESH-10) puts forth cost hundreds of billions of dollars in Lab employee board certified as a in an article scheduled to be direct and indirect health care, professional ergonomist. published in the July edition of according to the Occupational Safety Girault, also an ergonomics expert, Ergonomics and Design. and Health Administration. currently is in the process of being The U.S. military has studied “At first, people thought that certified, though all Lab industrial anthropometrics — the study of cumulative trauma disorders and hygienists undergo ergonomics differences between people — since related injuries were caused only training to perform workplace World War II, when the Air Force by excessive force and vibration,” evaluations. took human size and reach into said Greg Rowell of Human Factors Secondary factors that worsen account when it designed the B-17 (TSA-9). Rowell, who provides support trauma disorders include stress, bomber and other weapons systems, to the Environment, Safety and Health monotony, substance abuse, overtime, age, temperature and hobbies. Among the more common trauma disorders are tendinitis, epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and carpal tunnel syndrome. Girault pointed out that ergonomics is just as much psycholog- ical and cognitive as it is physical. “You cannot separate the two; they go hand-in-hand,” he emphasized. In fact, ergonomics is composed of several disciplines. Besides anthropo- metrics, there’s also anatomy, physi- ology, biomechanics, psychology, and engineering design. So how does the Lab fare when it comes to ergonomics? Not so well. “In the six years that I’ve been here, ergonomic injuries have led the way in reportable injuries each year — by far,” said Rowell. Figures provided by ESH-5 show What’s wrong with this picture? there were 334 injuries in 1996; of that Certified ergonomist Greg Rowell of Human Factors (TSA-9) demonstrates some of the many number, 88 were strains, 14 were common problems found with employees’ work stations and their working habits: the monitor sprains and 100 were repeated is too low; Rowell is slumped in the chair; his wrists are extended upward (called dorsi-flexion trauma. These ergonomically related in ergonomics); and the document holder is improperly placed. Photo by LeRoy N. Sanchez injuries accounted for 60 percent of all injuries at the Lab that year. said Girault. Anthropometrics is an (ESH) Division, chairs the Lab’s While there were fewer injuries ergonomic discipline. Ergonomics Committee, composed overall last year (263), the percentage Girault further points out that the of about 15 members from attributed to trauma disorders was makers of Volvo and Saab automo- Occupational Medicine (ESH-2), higher, 68 percent. Seventy-six injuries biles incorporated ergonomics into Industrial Hygiene (ESH-5), ES&H were strains, five were sprains and 97 their vehicle designs as early as the Training (ESH-13), Facility Risk were repeated trauma. 1960s, a practice now employed by Management (ESH-3), Technical Area In contrast, OSHA reported a most other major car manufacturers. 55 and other organizations. Girault 9 percent reduction in reported work- The bottom line? Whether one also sits on the committee, which place disorders associated with believes that ergonomics, or “fitting meets once a month to discuss issues repeated trauma in the United States the tool or task to the person,” origi- related to ergonomics. for 1996 (about 281,000 new cases), nated 2,000 years ago, the mid 20th “Only later did we come to find out compared to 1995. This figure also is century or any time in-between, the that CTDs also are caused by repeti- continued on Page 10 3 April 1998 Reflections BEAM robotics beat at-risk odds Hasslacher of Complex Systems (T-13). Hasslacher introduced Kaiper to Mark Tilden of Biophysics (P-21). Tilden in turn recommended that Kaiper contact Mark Dalton, a former subcontract employee with Cray Research working at the Lab.