Musculoskeletal Disorders of a Cop

Police officers are challenged with numerous musculoskeletal risks and are subject to stressful psychosocial factors during each tour. A day in the life as a cop varies greatly depending on the precinct jurisdiction and the amount of criminal activity in that area. Some days and nights are quiet, while others feel eternal. Seventy-two hours shifts and overtime impact the cops’ agility, sharpness, reaction, and response times. Demanding orders and situations not only put cop lives in danger for the sake of others, but generate high cortisol levels, leading to unhealthy blood pressure levels, insomnia, and other health concerns. The current project used a methodical approach to examine the job of a police officer, identify possible ergonomic issues present in police work, and provide recommendations for improvement. The first steps were to conduct a task analysis and explore anthropometrical issues in relation to their impact on work-related pain and injuries. Next, the work-related musculoskeletal risk exposure of a police officer was evaluated using readily available musculoskeletal disorder tools. Finally, recommendations on how to redesign the job of a police officer to make the duties less physically and mentally taxing and more efficient are discussed

Project Worm

With the effects of increasing carbon emissions and overflowing landfills becoming more and more apparent around the world, Project Worm hopes to spread sustainably mindful behavior throughout Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The overarching goal of Project Worm is to educate and inform the Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach campus’ student body on the importance of composting and its ability to positively aid in combating our current global climate crisis. Project Worm’s immediate aim is to provide ERAU students with the option to compost their own organic material from the comfort of their home. As a result of this project, it is expected for the participants to have fully functioning composting bins and an informed attitude towards the harmful effects of carbon emissions, overwhelming landfill sizes, and unhealthy soil, and how composting can dramatically reduce these effects

Seeing Clearly: Telescope Assembly Instruction Redesign

The ME telescopes are over 60 lb mounts that must be secured to permanent piers that have been cemented onto the roof of COAS. The astronomy students have to learn to assemble these telescopes during their labs each semester. We have been working in tandem with the astronomy department to simplify their assembly manuals for the ME, Mx, and Mx+ telescopes. Feedback from ERAU students indicated that they were struggling to clearly understand the assembly process and reported the current instruction set to be cumbersome to use. Through a review of human factors and educational literature, a set of best practices was developed to create a template for a new instruction set that breaks down each step and pairs it with two images per page. The language was simplified into bulleted direct command statements rather than paragraphs. Once the ME manual was completed, we ran a pilot study where two teaching assistants and a professor walked through the manual during assembly. Currently we are making the necessary changes based on the pilot. The next steps will be to conduct a full usability study with naïve students and to apply the template to the other telescope models

Revolutionizing ERAU Through Sustainable Engineering

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is dangerously behind the curve of transitioning to a resourceful and sustainable campus. Approximately 640 pounds of trash is generated by a single college student each year (Planet Aid, 2015), including plastics not repurposed or recycled due to contamination by items that are not recyclable (i.e., trash, food). In an effort to phase out single-use plastics on campus, this project seeks to transition all 3D printers on campus to utilize recycled 3D filament made from various plastics rather than use filament made from new materials. Interest in this effort was measured via an attitude survey released with 82.8% of students saying they are interested in having free access to 3D printers and 85.1% claiming they are advocates for recycling practices on campus. Utilizing a SPARK Equipment Grant award, the goal of this effort is to develop a plan for a new 3D printing service in a dedicated makerspace for ERAU students using recycled 3D filament. A research plan investigating the durability and compatibility of recycled filament in campus 3D printers and comparing its characteristics against new, standard filament will be revealed. The intended benefits of this project for Embry-Riddle include the gradual elimination of virgin plastic use for 3D modeling, a movement towards a zero-waste policy, and attraction of prospective students interested in sustainable engineering

Revolutionizing ERAU Through Sustainable Engineering

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is dangerously behind the curve of transitioning to a resourceful and sustainable campus. Approximately 640 pounds of trash is generated by a single college student each year (Planet Aid, 2015), including plastics not repurposed or recycled due to contamination by items that are not recyclable (i.e., trash, food). In an effort to phase out single-use plastics on campus, this project seeks to transition all 3D printers on campus to utilize recycled 3D filament made from various plastics rather than use filament made from new materials. Interest in this effort was measured via an attitude survey released with 82.8% of students saying they are interested in having free access to 3D printers and 85.1% claiming they are advocates for recycling practices on campus. Utilizing a SPARK Equipment Grant award, the goal of this effort is to develop a plan for a new 3D printing service in a dedicated makerspace for ERAU students using recycled 3D filament. A research plan investigating the durability and compatibility of recycled filament in campus 3D printers and comparing its characteristics against new, standard filament will be revealed. The intended benefits of this project for Embry-Riddle include the gradual elimination of virgin plastic use for 3D modeling, a movement towards a zero-waste policy, and attraction of prospective students interested in sustainable engineering

EAACI position paper on occupational rhinitis

Abstract The present document is the result of a consensus reached by a panel of experts from European and non-European countries on Occupational Rhinitis (OR), a disease of emerging relevance which has received little attention in comparison to occupational asthma. The document covers the main items of OR including epidemiology, diagnosis, management, socio-economic impact, preventive strategies and medicolegal issues. An operational definition and classification of OR tailored on that of occupational asthma, as well as a diagnostic algorithm based on steps allowing for different levels of diagnostic evidence are proposed. The needs for future research are pointed out. Key messages are issued for each item.</p