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About Us
www.bayareaergo.com
BAER HISTORY:
The prime focus of the Bay Area Ergonomics Roundtable (BAER) is to provide a
forum for the exchange of practical, technical information between members,
including case studies, problems, solutions, trends, etc. No presentations of
commercial products are typically made by vendors, although members are
welcome to share information on new products they feel may be of interest.
The first meeting, on November 12, 1987, was not held under the formal BAER
mantle, but as a technical exchange between two organizations.
conducting a study for the Department of Health (DOH). Known as Project
Sensor, the objective of this study was to identify the locations and causes of
carpal tunnel syndrome in the Santa Clara Valley. Dr. Rempel was interested in
finding out what practical steps were being taken by industry in the Silicon
Valley to help minimize potential exposures to these repetitive type illnesses.
At that time, IBM's San Jose manufacturing site had one of the few
comprehensive ergonomics programs in operation in the Bay Area. As the
Ergonomics Program Manager, Ed Grossmith hosted this first meeting with Dr.
Rempel and one of his colleagues, Laurie Fraser, also from DOH. IBM
attendees included members of the site Injury Prevention Planning Team. A
presentation of the IBM program was followed by a tour of a manufacturing area
to illustrate practical applications of new and upgraded tooling, equipment and
facilities.
The visit was expressed by the meeting to be very positive, so Ed suggested to
Dr. Rempel that we should continue these technical exchanges and invite any
other professionals presently involved in industrial ergonomics. A second
meeting was held at IBM on March 15, 1988, with an enlarged attendance of
both DOH and IBM personnel. At this meeting Dr. Rempel presented his interim
findings of Project Sensor; this was followed by a tour of another IBM
manufacturing building. IBM found the DOH information valuable in that it
helped validate their thrust in providing a proactive ergonomics program. DOH
obtained specific information on how exposures to repetitive illnesses might be
reduced by practical engineering and administrative controls.
Subsequent technical exchanges in 1989-90 were held at IBM with an expanded
roster that included Tom Signore, David Thompson, and Don Morelli, all
independent consultant ergonomists. At a meeting on December 15, 1989 at
the office of Portola Associates, we began the use of the term "Ergonomics
Roundtable". During 1990-91, periodic meetings were held at Raychem Corp.,
hosted by Tom Signore. Here, the membership grew further, and the name Bay
Area Ergonomics Roundtable (BAER) was formally adopted. A mission
statement and rules were also originated.
The current mode of operation, in which BAER has operated since 1992, was a
natural evolution whereby attendees alternatively hosted a monthly meeting at
their place of work with lunch frequently provided by their employer. Each
meeting includes a presentation by an ergonomics professional. A Steering
Committee, and four committees, Membership, Products, Public Relations and
Meetings, help keep BAER's mission on track. Participating companies have
included: Apple, IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed Martin, LSI Logic,
National Semiconductor, Agilent, Phillips Semiconductor, Quantum, Raychem,
SRI, Sun Microsystems, Tandem, VLSI Technology, and Xicor.
At this 22 year mark, BAER membership stands at over 130 active participants.
Ed Grossmith, CPE., GIPE.
BAER Co-Founder
Proprietor, Ergonomics Resource Group
San Jose, CA
The prime focus of the Bay Area Ergonomics Roundtable (BAER) is to provide a
forum for the exchange of practical, technical information between members,
including case studies, problems, solutions, trends, etc. No presentations of
commercial products are typically made by vendors, although members are
welcome to share information on new products they feel may be of interest.
The first meeting, on November 12, 1987, was not held under the formal BAER
mantle, but as a technical exchange between two organizations.
conducting a study for the Department of Health (DOH). Known as Project
Sensor, the objective of this study was to identify the locations and causes of
carpal tunnel syndrome in the Santa Clara Valley. Dr. Rempel was interested in
finding out what practical steps were being taken by industry in the Silicon
Valley to help minimize potential exposures to these repetitive type illnesses.
At that time, IBM's San Jose manufacturing site had one of the few
comprehensive ergonomics programs in operation in the Bay Area. As the
Ergonomics Program Manager, Ed Grossmith hosted this first meeting with Dr.
Rempel and one of his colleagues, Laurie Fraser, also from DOH. IBM
attendees included members of the site Injury Prevention Planning Team. A
presentation of the IBM program was followed by a tour of a manufacturing area
to illustrate practical applications of new and upgraded tooling, equipment and
facilities.
The visit was expressed by the meeting to be very positive, so Ed suggested to
Dr. Rempel that we should continue these technical exchanges and invite any
other professionals presently involved in industrial ergonomics. A second
meeting was held at IBM on March 15, 1988, with an enlarged attendance of
both DOH and IBM personnel. At this meeting Dr. Rempel presented his interim
findings of Project Sensor; this was followed by a tour of another IBM
manufacturing building. IBM found the DOH information valuable in that it
helped validate their thrust in providing a proactive ergonomics program. DOH
obtained specific information on how exposures to repetitive illnesses might be
reduced by practical engineering and administrative controls.
Subsequent technical exchanges in 1989-90 were held at IBM with an expanded
roster that included Tom Signore, David Thompson, and Don Morelli, all
independent consultant ergonomists. At a meeting on December 15, 1989 at
the office of Portola Associates, we began the use of the term "Ergonomics
Roundtable". During 1990-91, periodic meetings were held at Raychem Corp.,
hosted by Tom Signore. Here, the membership grew further, and the name Bay
Area Ergonomics Roundtable (BAER) was formally adopted. A mission
statement and rules were also originated.
The current mode of operation, in which BAER has operated since 1992, was a
natural evolution whereby attendees alternatively hosted a monthly meeting at
their place of work with lunch frequently provided by their employer. Each
meeting includes a presentation by an ergonomics professional. A Steering
Committee, and four committees, Membership, Products, Public Relations and
Meetings, help keep BAER's mission on track. Participating companies have
included: Apple, IBM, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed Martin, LSI Logic,
National Semiconductor, Agilent, Phillips Semiconductor, Quantum, Raychem,
SRI, Sun Microsystems, Tandem, VLSI Technology, and Xicor.
At this 22 year mark, BAER membership stands at over 130 active participants.
Ed Grossmith, CPE., GIPE.
BAER Co-Founder
Proprietor, Ergonomics Resource Group
San Jose, CA
Home > About Us
WHO WE ARE
The Bay Area Ergonomics Roundtable is an informal gathering of ergonomics
specialists and professionals who meet to promote ergonomics and to
exchange ergonomics technical information and ideas. The Roundtable
membership includes specialists and professionals from companies, consultant
firms, the medical community, academia and government.
The goal of the Roundtable is to provide a forum for ergonomics specialists and
professionals to meet on a regular basis. The monthly meetings are hosted by
a different Silicon Valley company. Typically a guest or a Roundtable member
presents a pertinent ergonomics topic. The meeting provides a forum for
members to seek assistance with ergonomics issues or present ergonomics
process, workstation, and product solutions amongst their peers. The
Roundtable also creates networking opportunities for ergonomics specialists
and professionals.
The vitality of the Roundtable is dependent on membership participation. Their
ongoing support sustains this network within the ergonomics community.
The Bay Area Ergonomics Roundtable is an informal gathering of ergonomics
specialists and professionals who meet to promote ergonomics and to
exchange ergonomics technical information and ideas. The Roundtable
membership includes specialists and professionals from companies, consultant
firms, the medical community, academia and government.
The goal of the Roundtable is to provide a forum for ergonomics specialists and
professionals to meet on a regular basis. The monthly meetings are hosted by
a different Silicon Valley company. Typically a guest or a Roundtable member
presents a pertinent ergonomics topic. The meeting provides a forum for
members to seek assistance with ergonomics issues or present ergonomics
process, workstation, and product solutions amongst their peers. The
Roundtable also creates networking opportunities for ergonomics specialists
and professionals.
The vitality of the Roundtable is dependent on membership participation. Their
ongoing support sustains this network within the ergonomics community.