Editor: Cheryl Bennett, MS
Email: bennett13@llnl.gov
Index:
Change and growth: A letter from the President -- Alvah C. Bittner Jr., Ph.D
A different way of operating -- Paul Champney, Past President
The newsletter ..-- Cheryl Bennett, Editor
Nominations for President-Elect sought
Communications firm to lend a little help... Patrice Olivier-Wilson
Call for papers for "Occupational Ergonomics" --Biman Das, Ph. D.
The plans for the annual meeting are also progressing well. Shrawan Kumar, Conference Chair and President-Elect, received several hundred paper submissions and has already begun to send out the paper acceptance notices for the meeting. I have reviewed some of the plans and paper submissions and believe we will have much to look forward to at the Annual Occupational Ergonomics & Safety Conference, June 1998, in Ann Arbor MI.
Finally, Biman Das-the ISOES Editor-in-Chief-promises that the first issue Occupational Ergonomics, the official ISOES journal, will be in your hands by end of January, if not before. We all can look forward to this new journal and its promise for providing a forum for addressing our common ergonomics and safety concerns.
The positive changes the ISOES is undergoing, and its promise for the future, occur only because of continuing efforts by you, and your representatives. You can increase these by your greater participation. This could be by serving on one of the committees, making nominations for or becoming one of its officers, submissions of articles to Occupational Ergonomics, or articles to this newsletter regarding current ergonomics challenges and issues. I would invite you to take a greater role in the future of the ISOES by becoming more involved.
Since I was concerned for the future of the Society, I discussed the problem with President Alvah Bittner. Out of that discussion came the realization that the primary job duties of many volunteershave increased to a point where those members are no longer able to do the routine tasks required to keep our Society vigorous.
So, the question became: "What could be done?"
From the time of the annual meeting last June, until the Society's Executive Council meeting last September, the search for a way of assisting volunteers was investigated. It was determined that we should hire a professional society manager to perform most of the routine administrative tasks normally required of volunteer officers.
At the September meeting, the Executive Council voted to hire such a manager at the cost of less than $5000 per year. The Council outlined the duties of the new manager, which include maintaining accurate data bases, handling all mailings, publishing the Society's newsletter, compiling a membership directory, maintaining a web site and other duties.
Some feel that this is a new direction for the Society; others think that it is just a more practical way of operating. All Council members felt it was a necessary step to revitalize the Society.
The Council voted to hire Patrice Ann Olivier-Wilson, president of Biz-comm, Inc., an excellent communications organization located in Fairfax, VA, near Washington, DC. Look for Patrice's introduction later in this newsletter. The Council voted that I would manage the contract with Biz-comm for this Society year.
The newsletter can reflect the ISOES emphasis on occupational ergonomics and safety in both research and industry. Some examples of items that could become part of the newsletter are: requests for a specific type of research subject or situation; descriptions of situations in industry that are problematic and where research needs may be defined; or successful interventions that may not warrant a journal article.
We are working to resolve the multiple mailing lists that have introduced confusion in the past. An ISOES Membership Directory is being prepared for publication and distribution. Please complete the form at the back of this newsletter to ensure we have the correct information. If you know of any members or former members who may have been "lost in the shuffle" please contact Patrice Ann Olivier-Wilson.
To be eligible for nomination, the candidate must be an ISOES member in good standing for at least two years, as well as having served in an elected capacity in the Executive Council for at least one year.
A waiting period of two years is mandatory before an officer may seek re-election to the same office.
The President Elect is responsible for elections of new officers and for organizing the Awards Committee. After serving one year as President-Elect, s/he will take over as President for one year and subsequently serve as Past-President for one year.
Please submit nominations to:
Shrawan Kumar, Ph.D.
University of Alberta
3-75 Corbett Hall
Edmonton, AB T6G 2G4
Canada
403.492.5803
403.492.1626 Fax
Our communications company has been in business since 1983 and handles a wide variety of projects including public relations, web design, marketing and more. We offer 10 percent discounts to all active members of organizations with which we have a contract. ISOES members qualify for this discount. To learn more about our services, see our web site or call us.
We look forward to working with your organization. Please use database update submission form or email to help us update ISOES's database. Send us your newsletter contributions, change of address, comments and suggestions by fax, phone or email. Thanks!
Voice: 703-385-7217
Fax: 703-385-7512
"Details are being finalized on the January 1998 issue," Dr. Das reported. "We have six manuscripts accepted for inclusion to date and encourage our membership to participate."
Aims and Scope of the Journal
The Journal aims to:
- provide a forum for publication of up-to-date research findings in the broad area of occupational ergonomics and safety;
- increase industrial awareness with regard to occupational ergonomics legislation;
- meet the demand for information on ergonomics related issues within a large segment of the industrial population.
Articles will not be confined to research areas, but will comprise a balanced mixture of basic and applied research, literature reviews, case studies, short communication and book reviews in the broad area of occupational ergonomics and safety.
The Journal will publish peer-reviewed original papers, covering a variety of occupational ergonomics issues including, but not limited to:
- prevention of work-related musculoskeletal injuries;
- task analysis;
- work design;
- occupational accidents;
- cognitive engineering;
- disability management;
- legal issues;
- modeling of physical/mental stress at work.
Emphasis will be on reflection of the recent increase in health and safety in the workplace and related job redesign requirements.
Submissions
Submit four copies to:
Professor Biman Das
Dept. of Industrial Engineering
Dalhousie University
PO Box 1000
Halifax, NS B3J 2X4 Canada
902.420.7606 Voice/902.420.7858 Fax
Further inquiries and requests for free sample copy:
IOS Press/ Mrs. Jan Schneiderman
PO Box 10558
Burke, VA 22009-0558 USA
Fax: 703.250.4705
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