Grants & Awards
2009 Ergonomic (Ergo) Grants
The three years of offering Ergonomics Grants has exceeded our expectations - a total of $135,000 has been awarded to multiple units in need of funds to implement ergonomic solutions.
Questions and Answers
What are Ergo Grants?
Ergo Grants encourage and support implementation of solutions to ergonomic issues at the University of Michigan by providing seed money
to purchase equipment or redesign work processes.
What is the goal of Ergo Grants?
The goal of Ergo Grants is to reduce ergonomic risk factors thereby reducing or preventing employee discomfort in order to enhance and maintain a safe, healthy, efficient and productive workforce. Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the worker. Modifications to the work, work tasks, and how people perform their work can help improve comfort, safety, efficiency, productivity and job satisfaction.
What kind of projects will be considered for Ergo Grants?
Qualifying projects must address one or more of the following ergonomic risk factors:
- Awkward Postures
Posture is the position your body is in while muscle groups are involved in physical activity. Awkward postures include repeated or prolonged reaching, twisting, bending, kneeling, squatting, working overhead with your hands or arms, or holding fixed positions. - Forceful Exertions
Force is the amount of physical effort required to perform a task, such as heavy lifting or maintaining control of equipment or tools. The amount of force depends on the type of grip, the weight of an object, body postures, the types of activity and the duration of the task. - Repetition or Sustained Postures
Doing the same motions over and over again or holding the body in one posture for long periods of time places stress on the muscles and tendons. The severity of risk depends on how often the action is repeated, the length of time postures are maintained, the speed of the movement, the number of muscles involved, and the force required. - Contact Stress
Pressing the body against a hard or sharp edge can result in putting too much pressure on nerves, tendons, and blood vessels. For example, using your hand as a hammer can increase your risk of MSD (musculoskeletal disorders). - Vibration
Operating vibrating tools such as sanders, grinders, chippers, routers, drills and saws can lead to nerve damage. Special padding or anti-vibration gloves can help. If possible, reduce the amount of time you spend working with vibration tools. - Temperature Extremes
Temperature extremes can also influence the magnitude of risk factors. As an example, the use of thick or loose-fitting gloves to keep hands warm may cause you to grip hand tools more forcefully, resulting in added stress to the wrists and hands. Similarly, a hot environment may decrease endurance and may increase the slipperiness of hand tools due to sweating.
How much funding is provided by Ergo Grants?
Proposals will be funded for up to $5,000 per grant, with monies reimbursed after purchases are completed by the requesting department.
The MHealthy Ergonomics Awareness Team encourages departmental cost sharing.
Who reviews the proposals?
Proposals will be reviewed by the MHealthy Ergonomics Awareness Team, consisting of ergonomic consultants and health and safety
personnel from Environment, Health and Safety Offices in Flint and Dearborn, MHealthy, OSEH Ann Arbor and UMHHC Safety Management
Services.
To ensure support and approval for the proposed project's implementation, unit leadership will be contacted by the team before any grant funds are supplied.
What criteria will the MHealthy Ergonomic Awareness Team use to evaluate the proposals?
The team will review each proposal for the following:
- The significance of the ergonomic issue: How does the proposal address a significant problem?
- Feasibility: Does the project have a realistic goal, timeline and budget? Are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analysis adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the goal of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge potential problems and consider alternatives?
- Projected outcome. The change must be implemented by June 30, 2010. Pre and post digital photos, as well as outcome measures, will be required.
What is the timeline?
| Applications: | Starting October 1, 2009, grant proposals will be accepted year round. Applications can be submitted at www.mhealthy.umich.edu or by mail. |
|---|---|
| Reviews: | Submitted applications will be reviewed twice a year depending on availability of funds. |
| Review dates: | November 1, 2009 for applications received by October 31, 2009 and, if funds are available, March 1, 2010 for applications received between November 1, 2009 and March 30, 2010. |
Notifications of committee decisions will follow the reviews, in December and April.
Funds for this year are available until June 1, 2010.
How do I apply?
Complete the online application, including the required uploaded photographs. If unable to access a computer, applications may be
submitted by mail to:
Ergonomics Awareness Team
2850 S. Industrial, Ste 600
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Fax: (734) 975-3011 (Please use all 7 digits when dialing.)
Telephone: (734) 975-3042 (Please use all 7 digits when dialing.)
Grants & Awards Winners
Winners of the 2008 Grants and Awards Program!
View the pdf of the 2008 Grants & Award Winners.
2008 ERGO Grant Program Winners:
- Construction Services
- Dermatology Clinic
- Epidemiology
- Facilities Management -Dearborn
- Facilities Management - Flint
- Holden Nursing
- Housing Facilities
- Marketing and Conference Services
- Material Services
- Music Dept.- Flint
- Pathology
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Plant Building Services
- Social Work and Community Programs-Geriatrics Center
- University Center for the Development of Language and Literacy
2008 Effective Ergonomics Solutions Winners:
- Computing Services, Ross School of Business
- Michigan Sea Grant, SNRE
Winners of the 2007 Grants and Awards Program!
View the pdf of the 2007 Grants & Award Winners.
2007 Ergo Grant Incentive Program Winners:
- Central Power Plant
- Construction Services
- Department of Pathology
- HomeMed Home Care Services
- Museum of Paleontology
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning
- U-M Dearborn Facilities Management
- U-M Flint Cashier’s Office
- U-M Flint Facilities
- UMHS Survival Flight
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine
2007 Effective Ergonomics Solutions Winners:
- Campus Mail Services
- Campus Maintenance
- Department of Psychology
- U-M Hospitals and Health Centers Security
- U-M Hospitals and Health Centers 6B Nursing
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine
Winners of the 2006 Grants and Awards Program!
View the pdf of the 2006 Grants & Award Winners.
2006 ERGO Grant Program Winners:
- Ann Arbor Campus Children's Centers
- Ann Arbor Plant Dept Med Science and MSRBs
- Ann Arbor Facilities Management
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM)
- UMHS Pathology/Hematology
- Ann Arbor Construction/Cabinet Shop
- UMHS PM&R Med Rehab Occupational Therapy
- UMHS Orthotics and Prosthetics
- UMHS East Ann Arbor Surgery
- Community Dental; Dental Chair
2006 Effective Ergonomics Solutions Winners:
- UMHS: Pathology and Hematology
- Campus: Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM)
- UMHS: Patient Food and Nutrition Services
- Ann Arbor Campus: Digital Media Commons
- Ann Arbor Campus: Office of the Plant Director-Plant Payroll and Accounts Payable Office
- UMHS: Security and Entrance Services
- Ann Arbor Campus: Managed Care/Student Insurance Department/University Health Service