In June, NIOSH released “ErgoMine,” a new mobile app for ergonomic audits in the mining industry. The app generates recommendations for ergonomic improvements and is intended to help prevent musculoskeletal injuries and promote health, safety, and efficiency. ErgoMine provides ergonomic assessments for three types of mining operations: bagging, maintenance and repair, and haul truck operations. Mine workers who do not have formal ergonomics training can use the new app as a tool for auditing their workplaces and for identifying issues with workplace conditions or how work is performed. 

ErgoMine assesses mining operations by asking users a series of questions about work tasks and work site conditions. For example, app users might review work site tools and equipment or factors such as postures adopted while working. The app offers recommendations for ergonomic improvements in a detailed summary, which users are able to share via email. 

Each of the three audits for the different mining operations covered within the app—bagging, maintenance and repair, and haul truck operations—have modules, and ErgoMine is programmed to automatically select the appropriate modules based on users’ responses to questions regarding the nature of operations at a work site. Users can choose to complete all or some modules within the app, which allows for flexibility when performing before-and-after comparisons of particular workstations, for example.

ErgoMine is available for Android smartphones and tablets via the Google Play store. For more information, visit the NIOSH website.