Weber Knapp Blog

Ergonomics is a recognized factor in employee health, productivity and workplace safety. Facilities that do not budget for and pay attention to ergonomics see employees with repetitive stress injuries, distracted from their work, and less than thrilled to be there.

Workers deal with a lot of equipment and applications that can cause trauma to their hands. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 102,350 total hand injuries occurred in 2020. 

At first glance, you might suspect that the only place you’re going to see a Vectis™ Counterbalance is in an industrial setting, perhaps mounted on an enormous machine shield, or maybe some type of oversize industrial tank lid. 

We’ve probably all experienced a stiff neck or a sore back from sitting all day, and it’s no fun. With proper ergonomics, however, such ailments can often be alleviated. 

Good ergonomics in the workplace, will enhance employee comfort and increase productivity. Ergonomics is essentially the science of adapting a job or position to specifically fit the worker - and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken on a leading role in helping promote and advocate for such environments. 

In this post, we'll take a closer look at OSHA's ergonomics guidelines for a healthy workplace:

No one wants to have a heavy lid come down on their hand while they are focused on completing a project. Likewise, no one wants to see someone else injured when there are hinges available to help avoid these accidents. 

Choosing the right motion control solution can involve some tricky elements. When it’s time to understand the type of counterbalance or spring-assist hinge you need and the best way to move forward with the installation, it helps to have a visual guide as a resource. The Vectis pages provide both written content and videos that do everything from explaining how a Vectis hinge can be a better choice than a gas hinge to how to install and adjust the hinge solution you choose. 

If you want to design a product with a heavy lid or door, it’s useful to research how engineers have solved similar problems with other products.

The user experience for a product with a heavy lid or cover can range from awkward to annoying to downright dangerous.

Picture holding an industrial toolbox lid in place while reaching in one-handed, maybe twisting your back in the process. Or what if it comes down suddenly when your arm or fingers are in the way? The bruises won't be pretty, and the damage might be much worse.

This is why many designers add gas spring lid supports to their lid design. Others lean toward using counterbalance spring mechanisms or other mechanical spring solutions.

Lift assists for bar and countertop openings are essential features in modern taverns, kitchens, and restaurants. Beyond just looking cool, they have many functional purposes.

While not always visible to the naked eye, custom heavy-duty hinges are hard at work in various industries every day.