Exciting news this month from our colleagues in Brazil – the Association of Brazil for Ergonomics and Human Factors (ABERGO). This IEA federated society had already succeeded in getting laws passed in 2022 to obligate employers to conduct “ergonomic” risk assessments of and design appropriate prevention interventions. This increased the demand for qualified HFE specialists and in May 2024 the title “Ergonomist” was introduced into their list of recognised occupations. The title applies to people with tertiary level qualifications and specialisation in HFE in alignment with the IEA endorsed certification system of Brazil. Our congratulations to all who have worked long and hard to achieve this great step for our profession, the well-being of Brazilian workers and their performance in companies. For detailed information see here.
We are only aware of three societies that have achieved this goal for the profession. The others are the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors in the United Kingdom and the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of New Zealand. Let us know of your achievement if this also applies to your local area.
