ErgoLab Research
knowledge works better !
ErgoLab Research is a small consultancy, specialised in vibration measurement & analysis, coaching and education.
We measure vibration and work load in vehicles and when using manual tools, mostly in the more complex situations. Our knowledge includes people behaviour, labour and health, exercise, and technological environment.
We are appreciated by our well-considered measurement design and reporting.
In addition, we teach and coach students and teachers to improve their academic skills.
Special services are GITHA, being a tool for the evaluation of the consequence of body injury for household work, and the list of publications and reports on the labour conditions, among others in agriculture and horticulture in The Netherlands.
We are pleased to be at your service. Because we are convinced that with our knowledge, you work better!
spotlight
Below you will find a selection of selected work. Please click on one of the figures to see the full content (most in Dutch, but many with summary in English).
More research reports and publications can be found below: see the "publications" heading.
Article GITHA
Time use in households: trends over 15 years on basis of a reliable tool for the estimation of labour need in house-hold work (in Dutch)
read more >
Report on vibrations
Narrow track tractors: comparison of exposure to whole-body vibrations and rollover angle of seven different makes in a test in practice
read more >
other
research
measurements
ErgoLab Research is specialist in investigating vibrations in vehicles and when using hand tools. Not in every situation, a measurement will be necessary; sometimes a simple advice will do the job. A situation in which an investigation is recommended is for example if you gradually experience health problems such as tingling or numbness in the fingers or hand in the evening or at night after having worked for longer time with vibrating tools. Or if you as a driver, do not feel the pain in your back only in some exceptional cases. Or if you occasionally experience shocks at work and you want to know whether it may harm in the long term.
A measurement can also be favourable to check whether a new seat (or the new vehicle) actually is better in reducing vibration exposure. Here, on basis of just observation and subjective evaluation you can be easily put on the wrong track! Or simply because of good employment practice: to be sure that the workers exposure remains below the legal limits.
Another reason: measurements make clear what the total vibration exposure will be if the most uneven parts of a driving surface would be leveled. In other words, you will gain insight into the effectiveness of such a measure.
The following pages in Dutch provide more information on whole-body vibration (WBV) and hand-arm vibration (HAV), which the most relevant regulations there are, how measurements will be conducted and what they precisely deliver. Also you will find information on situations when measurements are not needed: help yourself and search the publications of previous data and estimate the daily vibration exposure with an online calculator .
Especially for manufacturers and suppliers more information is provided about the (mandatory) testing of vehicles and hand tools in accordance with the ISO standards.
expertise
ErgoLab Research has over 25 years of expertise in measurements, analysis and research. Ergolab Research is knowledge specialist in the relationship between man and work. Huub Oude Vrielink: "Like no other, I realize that all the knowledge is useless if it does not end up in practice and if it is not used there. This why I not only spend much energy on the good preparation of a measurement, but I also put much time into making the results understandable, in measurement reports as well as in presentations. I also pay serious attention to presenting choices, so customers have the choice about which solution fits best in his or her situation. All this to ensure that the working conditions will become better. "
"The focus of my knowledge lies within the areas of human vibration exposure and physical load in work situations. I am strong in data analysis, among others of complex data and data sets. I work systematically and accurately. Therefore a strong point of ErgoLab Research definitely is the reliability of the results. "
"In my job as a coach and teacher of academic skills in consultancy for master students at Wageningen University, the research experience and knowledge come together. My aim is that they experience the application of skills in practice, and become aware of the effect of those. "
Perhaps my expertise can also help you further!
GITHA
GITHA is a computer programme supporting decision making in estimating the compensation of disability or injury, for example as a consequence of an accident, for persons doing (part of) the housekeeping.
In the programme, most regular tasks that occur in housekeeping have been listed and rated in a standardized way. The programme also takes into account the type of housekeeping (alone, living together in a family, etc.), tasks of the person involved, the number of hours the person(s) have paid work, and the presence of equipment.
The result of the programme is a table presenting the work demand for housekeeping in a situation that corresponds best with the houskeeping situation evaluated. Besides, per houskeeping task it can be indicated to what extent the task still can be performed. In this way, an indication of the tasks and number of hours that are to be compensated become clear fastly. The latter indication can be modified, depending on the specific situation. If deviations from the normal situation are made, the motivation for this is to be documented as well.
Basis for the calculation of the housekeeping work forms a data set, which in turn is derived after extensive analysis of the Time Use Survey (TBO) (unfortunately only presented in Dutch). This inventory is performed approximately every five years and describes one week of activities, amongst others housekeeping, of several thousands of Dutch respondents.
The programme is used by lawyers, labour specialists and trade unions, and standardizes the discussions about the magnitude of compensation claims. Its is available under licence, which is to be renewed yearly. For a single calculation one may make use of the service GITHA LIGHT: a form that can be downloaded is to be filled out completely and sent by email. The calculation itself is done by ErgoLab Research. The outcomes are sent back by email.
At this moment, more detailed information is available only in Dutch: see the Dutch part of this website. However, please contact if additional information is desired.
publications
Below you will find a list of public reports, articles, posters, press releases and lectures of Ergolab Research BV, including previous research performed until 2005 under governance of the Labor Platform of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture. Many of the publications can be downloaded via the specified link.
Full list of publications
ErgoLab Research BV ©
About ErgoLab Research / Disclaimer
Privacy Statement
site updated: 07-06-2023
Website design: Pelle Oude Vrielink
contact
Do you have a question? Please feel free to contact us by email. Except for the holiday season, I strive to answer your question within one to at most a few days.
Contact data:
Director / researcher:
Huub H.E. Oude Vrielink, PhD
Postal and visiting address:
Alexanderweg 56
NL - 6721 HH Bennekom
The Netherlands
Telephone number:
See the Dutch part of the website
E-mail address:
huub.oudevrielink@ergolabresearch.eu
Number of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce:
09160400
