Blog

Universal Design at Hitachi; This is an excellent illustration about the differences between Accessible Design and Universal Design. The  marketplace and ROI for this is enormous whereas taking just an “accessibility” approach will represent a larger cost to Ontario’s Businesses. Read on to see how Universal Design is an huge and untapped business opportunity for ALL businesses […]

In our Ergonomic and Disability Prevention practice at Optimal Performance we often recommend more sedentary employees (by virtue of their job demands or by choice in terms of not being active enough during their day) commence a regular walking program during the week.  If the employees are truly interested in using their walking program to […]

Today’s Post is about Muscle Memory as this has come up a question in our day to day work with clients across Canada. This comes up most frequenlty with our right handed friends (we can’t all be geniuses) who insist they would not be able to learn how to use the mouse on their left […]

Today’s Post is about Muscle Memory as this has come up a question in our day to day work with clients across Canada. This comes up most frequenlty with our right handed friends (we can’t all be geniuses) who insist they would not be able to learn how to use the mouse on their left […]

Background and Case Study; One of your employees has let their supervisor know they have been having on-going issues with low back discomfort. They let HR know as well that they will be using their benefits to see a massage therapist and a Physiotherapist for their lower back issues. 2 weeks later the employee continues to […]

Market Insight: Open Plan versus Enclosed Private Offices: A Review of the Research by Knoll The debate concerning open plan offices versus enclosed private offices has resulted in a body of research that explores the pros and cons of both approaches. For the purposes of this discussion, we are defining “open plan” as an environment comprised […]

Spending on Mental Disorders Higher for Women : Clinical Psychiatry News Ever wonder about the statistics regarding mental health and whether they are skewed? Read “Comfortably Numb”, “The Loss of Sadness” and “Selling Sickness”. These evidence based researchers & Psychologists explain how Big Pharma targets and markets to women; the fact women are more likely […]

A recommended read for any Facility Manager, Urban and Building Designer and Architect, and those trying to learn about the future impact of the AODA and ADA in North America. JESleeth Olga Dosis Blind Navigation: Implications for Urban Design and Cognition By Claudia Folska, University of Colorado at Boulder, Institute of Cognitive Science May 15, […]

Legislative updates for September 29th 2011 In case you have not heard the Province of Ontario has made and is making significant changes to both the Occupational Health & Safety Act and the WSIB Act through Bill 160. We are keeping a close eye on these changes at OPC Inc Ergonomics division as there will […]

Legislative updates for September 29th 2011 In case you have not heard the Province of Ontario has made and is making significant changes to both the Occupational Health & Safety Act and the WSIB Act through Bill 160. We are keeping a close eye on these changes at OPC Inc Ergonomics division as there will […]

As many of our clients already know OPC Inc and our national consulting team provide recommendations in office environments; including call centres; VISA processing centres; CSR and the typical seated office environments. One of the trends we are commencing based solely on our findings and best evidence is the need to get employees out of […]

The ADA and AODA Require Way Finding to be improved in Public Spaces and Offices  JESleeth, Olga Dosis, CL DeMaeyer OPC Inc While hiking along what was supposed to be a marked trail with three friends in Muskoka we quickly found 30 minutes into the hike that we were lost lost & lost. It was only by […]

In the Ergonomics in Design section of OPC’s Blogs we talk about the use of Ergonomics and Human Factor Design in the prevention of accidents & human error. To take this theme further, discussion about how the design of the SYSTEMS including product/equipment and technology, process/procedures and the building design and environment affects the frequency and severity of human […]

NEWS UPDATESeptember 1, 2011    Today is a historic day for the Physiotherapy Profession & for all patients Although for many years physiotherapists have had the expertise to diagnose injuries within our scope of practice, it was not until today, September 1, 2011 that the legislative and regulatory environment has actually allowed us to communicate […]