Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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Professional Certification in Ergonomics/Human Factors
  • Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics
  • (BCPE)
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What’s in a Name?
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Definitions
  • Ergonomics/Human Factors is a body of knowledge about human abilities, limitations, and other characteristics that are relevant to design.



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Importance of the Profession
  • Health
  • Safety
  • Comfort
  • Ease of learning
  • Ease of use
  • Productivity
  • Loyalty
  • Satisfaction
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Ergonomics Curriculum
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Work Analysis & Measurement
  • Methods of Measurement and Investigation
  • Work Analysis Statistics and Experimental Design
  • Computation and Information Technology
  • Instrumentation



  • (100 hours)


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People and Technology
  • Technology
  • Training and Instruction
  • Human Reliability
  • Health, Safety, and Well-Being
  • Occupational Hygiene
  • Workplace, Information, or Work Organization Design


  • (100 hours)
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Human Characteristics
  • Anatomy, Demographics, and Physiology
  • Human Psychology
  • Physical Environments
  • Social and Organization Aspects


  • (80 hours)
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Professional Issues
  • Ethics, Practice Standards, Marketing, Business Practice, Legal Liabilities


  • (20 hours)
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Ergonomic Principles
  • Ergonomics Approach
  • Systems Theory


  • (20 hours)
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Plus…Applying the Knowledge
  • Internship, Practicum, or On-the-Job Training


  • (6 weeks)
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Professional Backgrounds
  • Psychology
  • Anthropology
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Safety
  • Health
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Scope of the Profession
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Day in the Life of an Ergonomist
  • Evaluation Using Physical Simulation:
  • Certified Professional Ergonomist conducting a test of a tractor operator station using physical simulation (6 degree of freedom motion platform).  Measures of operator performance in simulated operational environments help make decisions about controls, displays, seating, and other vehicle operator station design elements.
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Day in the Life of an Ergonomist
  • Evaluation Using Virtual Prototyping:
  • Certified Professional Ergonomist and design group conducting test of experimental tractor operator station in a virtual environment (3D stereo projection of computer generated operational scene).


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Day in the Life of an Ergonomist
  • Digital Human Modeling:
  • A digital human model and database of 3-D anthropometry is used to visualize an individual’s preferred posture and space for comfortably reaching hand controls.


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Day in the Life of an Ergonomist
  • Product Usability Testing :
  • An Associate Ergonomics Professional testing a cell phone user in an industrial laboratory. Primary metrics include errors and navigation path through the software of an electronic travel application.


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Day in the Life of an Ergonomist
  • Complex Systems Design:
  • U.S. Navy design of a Multimodal Watchstation that interfaces ships’ systems with human operators.


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BCPE Mission
  • To provide ergonomics certification to protect the public, the profession, and its professionals by assuring standards of competency and advocating the value of certification.
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Ergonomist Formation Model
  • Defines professional competence and requirements for certification
  • Identifies topics and hours of coursework and professional experience
  • Distinguishes between Certified Professionals, Associate Professionals, and Certified Associates
  • See http://www.bcpe.org for details
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Why Get Certified
  • Recognition of professional competence
  • Authority
  • Personal satisfaction
  • Better job prospects
  • Professional network
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Testimonials/Endorsements
  • “As a Manager of Human Factors, I’m often contacted by individuals offering to conduct usability evaluations of our products.  The first thing I ask is whether they are certified by the BCPE.  If the answer is “B-C-what?” I’ve got my answer.”
  • - Jayne Schurick, Symantec Corporation


  • “When there are sufficient numbers of C.P.E.’s, the effects of a few bad apples will be minimized and companies seeking Ergonomics assistance will have a large pool of competent individuals from which to choose.”
  • - Mark Ousnamer, IIE Solutions
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Certification Process
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Number of Certified Ergonomists
  • Currently over 1,000
  • Examinations offered at least twice each year at locations around the country
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BCPE
  • Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics
  • P.O. Box 2811
  • Bellingham, WA 98227-2811
  • USA


  • Phone:  (888) 856-4685
  • FAX:  (866) 266-8003
  • E-mail:  bcpehq@bcpe.org
  • Web:  http://www.bcpe.org