Experience, Case Studies
& Client Results

ETC has worked extensively with major airlines and aircraft seat manufacturers on cabin ergonomics, flight attendant safety, and passenger comfort. Projects have included:

• First, business, and economy class seat design, ergonomic specification, and validation
• Pressure mapping analysis of aircraft seat cushions
• Ergonomic assessment and redesign of food service carts
• Analysis of flight attendant injuries and in-flight work procedures
• Ergonomic assessment of overhead storage bins and crew rest seats
• Development of a human factors and ergonomics analysis laboratory for cockpit assessment
• Ergonomic workplace assessment of baggage handlers

ETC has served all of the domestic automotive manufacturers as well as many international corporations. A landmark engagement with General Motors included establishing a complete applied ergonomics laboratory and developing an onsite wellness center for all GM plants in Mexico:

• Environmental monitoring, human vibration testing, and anthropometric analysis
• Job and task demand measurement with biomechanical modeling
• Employee strength and fitness evaluation
• Ergonomic job tracking software implementation
• Complete ergonomic reference library and employee education programs

Back injuries, patient handling risks, and repetitive motion disorders are endemic in healthcare. ETC has helped hospitals, nursing facilities, and clinical labs address the root causes - equipment design, work methods, and training.

• Patient handling assessment and mechanical lift specification
• Laboratory ergonomics - pipetting, microscopy, microtomy, and cell counter tasks
• Outpatient clinic, radiology, pharmacy, and supply room evaluations
• Custom training for nurses, supervisors, and engineers

Back sprains, strains, and overexertion injuries are the most common disabling injuries for construction workers. Through site assessments, training, and annual presentations at the Construction Safety Council, ETC reduces injury potential across construction operations.

• Work layout optimization to minimize unnecessary material handling
• Slip, trip, and fall prevention for access paths and work surfaces
• Work height optimization - eliminating below-knee and above-shoulder tasks
• Material handling equipment specification and training
• Hand tool selection and maintenance for reduced vibration and awkward posture

ETC has provided industrial and office ergonomics services to numerous federal agencies, supporting both administrative and operational workforces with assessments, training, and program development.

• Social Security Administration (SSA) - office ergonomics programs
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - workplace assessments
• US Air Force (USAF) - industrial and office evaluations
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) - laboratory and office ergonomics
• National Council on Disabilities (NCD) and General Services Administration (GSA)

ETC has delivered office ergonomics programs to hundreds of corporations globally - educating and training internal staff for early intervention and risk identification across onsite, remote, and hybrid work environments.

• Large-scale workstation evaluation programs across multiple floors and sites
• Train-the-Trainer programs for internal ergonomics champions
• Remote and hybrid worker assessment programs
• Furniture specification and procurement guidance

ETC has extensive experience solving ergonomics issues in public utility operations and has conducted formal engineering training at the Edison Electric Institute, the Gas Institute, and the Midwest Energy Association.

• Field worker ergonomics for line crews and maintenance teams
• PPE assessment and specification for range of motion and comfort
• Manual materials handling aids for utility field operations
• Engineering training programs for Edison Electric Institute and Gas Institute

ETC's measurement-based product assessments have contributed to multiple prestigious industry awards. Clients working with ETC on product design have achieved recognition from the Industrial Designers Society of America, Business Week, and NIOSH.

• Best-in-Class competitive analysis for power tools and hand tools
• Pipette, laboratory instrument, and medical device assessment
• Seating, furniture, and workstation product evaluation
• ETC Ergonomic Certification for qualifying products

ETC partnered with OSHA, the APWU, and the USPS as part of a national Ergonomic Risk Reduction Process (ERRP) - embedding full-time ergonomists at processing facilities nationwide to train site teams, conduct job analyses, and implement low-cost solutions that eliminated MSD risk at the task level.

• 38% reduction in MSD recordable rate across ERRP sites
• $1.8M reduction in workers' compensation medical costs
• 77,000+ employees trained across the national network
• Nearly 7,000 ergonomic task analyses and 3,600 fixes implemented
• Task-level interventions across mail prep, dock operations, sorting, and maintenance