Barrier Free Training
2010 New Zealand Ergonomics Society Conference in Nelson, 18 - 19 November
Optimise Office Opened in Downtown Motueka
Reporting On Our Eco-living Challenges
Contact details
Optimise base shift to Nelson 2008
Optimise Associate
President's Award 2009
NZES 2007 Conference
NZES 2009 Conference

Barrier Free Training

Combining her occupational therapy background with the principles of universal access design saw Marion complete the first 4 modules of the Barrier Free New Zealand Trust's training in February 2010. Universal access is inclusive design, and has the aim of ensuring that no-one is excluded from the physical use of any built environment by unnecessary architectural or engineering barriers. The training modules: 'Experiencing the Accessible Journey'; 'Law, Access and the Accessible Journey'; 'Designing the Accessible Journey'; and 'Assessing the Accessible Journey' provide the basis for further training to become a Barrier Free Advisor. Marion intends to work through this process and to become an Accredited Barrier Free Advisor in due course. Watch this space for the addition of Barrier Free Advisory services to Optimise's range.

2010 New Zealand Ergonomics Society Conference in Nelson, 18 - 19 November

It is perhaps no surprise to see that with Marion's recent-ish shift to Motueka, the NZES Conference is coming to the Nelson region! Marion is Conference Organiser for NZES2010, being held at the Grand Mercure Monaco Apartments in Nelson. Go to http://ergonomics.org.nz/ConferenceNZES2010.aspx for information. The conference theme is 'Preventing Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders - Present and Future Challenges. Also keep an eye out for information on the free ACC Seminar(s) being held in association with the NZES conference, on the day prior. A seminar on the new Computer Guidelines and another introducing the ACC Discomfort, Pain and Injury Prevention resources is proposed for Wednesday 17th November. Watch the NZES website for more information.

Optimise Office Opened in Downtown Motueka

February 2009 saw Optimise move from the home base into an office in Motueka's High Street. This was bought about by the small space in the cabins (the family of 3 lives in a total of 24m2) and Marion's son turning 5 and starting school.  The move to working in town simplifies the school transportation issues and gives Marion some more room to spread out, but possibly most importantly has allowed a couch to be moved in at home - where the office desk was!  Marion's only disappointment is knowing that Optimise is no longer run by the renewable power source ( a micro hydro system) from the off-grid operation at her home. However, you can rest assured that all papers and compostable items from the office are returned home to the compost bin, and any other recyclables (there is very little) find their way into the recycling system.  Optimise endeavours to act in an environmentally conscious manner at all times. 

As the first time in 9 years that Marion has worked from a non-home office, she is trying not to get too frequently distracted by the nice coffee smells from nearby cafes... and if she does... she takes her own cup across. 

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Contact Details

Optimise's street address is:

173 High Street,
Motueka  (up the stairs and to the right).

And postal address is:

Optimise Limited
PO Box 390
Motueka 7143
New Zealand

The telephone number has not altered. 

Phone:           03 526 8867
Mobile:           027 626 1300

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Reporting On Our Eco-living Challenges

Due to popular demand, Marion will intermittently make comments in this section on the latest challenges and tribulations of eco-living...  Marion and her partner Warren, and 7 year old son Finn, live on a 1 acre section on a hill 10 minutes out of Motueka 'up the Mot Valley'. The 6 families that will make up the Te Manawa Eco-village (one block is still looking for it's family - contact Marion if you are interested!) also have shared ownership of a 58 hectare surrounding block of regenerating native bush, of which around 20 hectares (in the gullies) is already under a QE II covenant (so is protected). Te Manawa inhabitants aim to remove the pine regrowth and return the surrounding area to native bush. The Kahurangi National Park is not far to the west of Te Manawa, so this block of land is an important corridor.  There are stunning views to the north-east out over the river to Motueka and Tasman Bay, and to the south up the Motueka River valley and across to the hills behind St Arnaud.

May  2010 - This last year things have settled into a more 'normal' rhythm.  If chasing wild pigs out of the garden is normal that is. We had our first  destructive visits from some of the many local wild pigs several seasons  back, and hastily installed an electric fence around the vege patch so they  didn't get another go at the silver beet, yams, garlic etc... It works fine,  and Finn has become quite adept at hurdling the electric fence - he says  that knowing it is going helps him jump higher! There's a funny story about  Marion in her shortie nightie doing a little early morning gardening and  backing into the electric fence...  

Other progress has been our  first few chickens from under Rusty the broody hen, and more organised  gardens and terraces about the place. And in case you were beginning to  wonder whether we would bother... we have also succeeded in drawing up the  plans for the 'big house (it's really quite modest), and we await building  consent so we can get stuck in before the GST rise bites. Once we move into  the 'big house', those of you curious about eco-living can get in touch to  arrange a stay at 'The Ruru's Roost' - we plan to make our eco-cabins  available for hire. Those whom are curious about eco-living could also visit  by staying at our neighbour's yurt http://www.aniwaniwa.co.nz/ This is a  gorgeous and cosy hideaway for those looking for a unique experience. Our  friends have loved it!

In the forest, we were pleased to last year receive some  Department of Conservation Biodiversity Funding, that has allowed us to  begin poisoning the large old pines, and continue to fell the smaller  wilding pines on our land. We are also about to put in a trap line for  possums, rats and stoats, in order to support the native bird population in  our  lovely bush patch. We are thrilled with how we are progressing  with ridding the bush of the 'weed' pines, but know that the job will be a  big one. If anyone is after a practical 'eco-holiday', and fancies some  voluntary work tree-felling or track-making for a good cause... do get in  touch.

Goals for the 'next wee while'  include sorting the plans for the big house, installing the grey water  system, planning and installing the orchard and a glasshouse, more paths and  plantings on the section, and working on some of the communal land areas to  make them more useable and pleasant. Communally we continue to chop down the  many re-growth pines, and hope to soon start on poisoning of the big old  pines - to allow the native bush to regenerate. We are jointly working on  the next upgrade to the power-house systems, as more power is needed to  supply the 'big houses' - two of the four families on the hill have now  moved into their partly finished 'big houses' (vs tent or yurt living) with  more power consumption associated.

Our Landscaping...

June 2009 Eco-living Update - Since March we have continued to achieve some noticeable changes around our 'patch'... All the recycled doors and windows in the cabins have been beautifully finished inside and out by painter-by-trade Warren. The dark green 'karaka' colour blends perfectly with the bush, and helps to make our cabins hard to spot from the road across the valley - unless the light is just right and you know exactly where to look. The 'front bank' - a steep, bracken and pine covered drop immediately in front of the cabins, has been cleared and planted, and steps and a path made for access. A beautiful quiet seat in front of a large rock on this bank has been sculpted out of the scrub. It is hidden from view of all the nearby houses and is almost out of earshot... I wonder how much time we will actually get down here with a cuppa and a book? More horse manure and straw has been carted and spread around the gardens, with a big load for composting for the orchard... It still needs clearing of all the downed pines and some of the manuka... and a planting plan. Marion's mum keeps supplying plants for the garden, and the more cultivated areas are gradually extending.

And most recently, Marion and her dad (with some help from Finn) made a chicken coop, (the Hilldorf Chookstoria), and a chook dome was assembled. Then another patch of hillside (Edwin Excavations Unlimited) was made into a terrace big enough to accommodate these portable 'buildings'. We then picked up 3 Rhode Island Red and 2 New Hampshire pullets... and moved them in. Now we have something to feed our huhu grub and other beetle/bug discoveries too, and we eagerly await the commencement of egg laying in several months time. They are busy 'chooking' around, and will be fertilising the patch of ground we've parked them on for now, though they will later be moved down into the orchard area.

March 2009 - The last week has seen the first batch of rhubarb jam made, and a first batch of tomato relish is awaiting assembly. As winter draws in we are starting to cogitate on 'big house' designs, and enjoying the couch that has taken over from the office desk.  I'm keen to find out how to make a solar dehydrator for fruit and vege for next year, and am working on the design and layout of the orchard, chookhouse and glasshouse. We have just made Finn (and the other eco-village kids) a hut and play area, and it has it's own supply of strawberry plants for after-school snacking. We'll put a sandpit in soon.

Somehow I realise I've forgotten to mention the composting toilet. This is a great surprise to many city-dwellers with experience of only the flushing variety, and probably gives most of our visitors the greatest cause for alarm! But it's fine - no smells (even over summer), and the compost brew is fantastic. It sure beats dragging bags of other manure up the hill for the garden! It's time we all started to look upon our own manure as a resource rather than something yucky that we should get rid of (look for the 'Humanure' book at your local library -apologies for poor referencing, it isn't at hand - but it's a classic).

Up to March 2009 - To start it may be necessary to appreciate that in January 2008, during the 'holidays' Marion first walked (nay, bush-bashed) onto the pine and manuka clad 1 acre hill section with loppers in hand... to clear a track onto 'the land'.  After several days and some help from friends and family, a track and a tent site was cleared. Finn and Marion's first night on the hill was in the tent on New Years Eve!  By the end of January the diggers had been in to do the driveway, and Waz and Marion and Finn (and family) had started to dig foundations for the 3 tiny huts that they planned to live in for a few years (until building a larger straw/clay type home). Over February, Marion's 70 year old dad came out of retirement and with some help from a young buck built the main structure for the huts... so that when the Edwin family moved from Rotorua at the end of February... the huts were 'up' and with a roof - but without floors, internal lining, or in the case of the bathroom... even external cladding.  Which was great, because we wanted to do quite a lot ourselves!  A 'trailer cabin' was rented for several months and parked in the steep driveway...and the container with our worldly possessions installed in the driveway. Then Waz started his nursing job in Nelson, and Marion kept on with some Optimise work, and Finn started at the kohanga. And every spare moment we were working on the huts and the section. 

View northeast over Motueka and the Tasman Bay.

We learned about decking, we put in wool batts, we put up shiplap old-man pine for external cladding, we adjusted recyled doors and windows, we put up poplar tongue and groove on the insides, we had the gas and electricals and plumbing done, we applied coats of sealer to floors and walls etc and waited days for it to dry as the cooler weather sneaked up. It was a grand day (in May) when the kitchen bench went in, and we were able to move the cooking implements in to the warm (from outside on the deck!)  This was when my office desk was also able to move in properly.  By June we were also moved in to the bunkroom hut, but with many boxes lining the walls.  The move into the bathroom happened soon after - and it was a great event having a HOT shower in our own place (rather than trekking off down to the motorcamp as we had been doing since the solar showers weren't really warm enough from March...) Luxury.  Waz got some gravel on the main paths to reduce the mud indoors... and we enjoyed the gas heating over winter as we focussed on our work/jobs for a couple of months... And spent some time with Grandpop making the lofty bunk bed that is Finn's lair in the bedroom hut, and had a sail made to keep the rain off the deck between the huts.

March 2008 - Optimise office on the deck and unfinished huts

October 2008 - a damp day on the hill - the container, shed, garden terraces and paths, and some new garden

But then as the days lengthened again, we began the outside jobs of terracing the hill for gardens, as we wanted to get the garden in for a summer crop.  We dug and dug and dug.  We moved many barrowloads of soil, stacked many walls of clay clods, and slogged up hill with many bags of horse poo. October saw three main garden terraces in place, the water tank in position, and the spuds in! And Waz slogged up hill with many more barrowloads of gravel for more paths.  And Marion carried even more horse poo and peastraw up. And we planted: peach, plum, feijoas, red and black currants, blueberries, boysenberries, lemon, lime, mandarin, all manner of veges, strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries... and kept on digging.  We dug the hole for the clothesline and erected it (HOORAH!) and then dug out the spot for the shed.  We have provided the final resting place for Marion's dad's old builders 'site shed', and tied it down so it won't take off in a wind. It was fantastic to get the various boxes of tools and paints etc off the deck.  We made tyre reinforced banks and planted them.  We made more paths.  We planted more stuff.

Then we started to harvest... salad greens, some smallfruits, cabbages, tomatoes by the bowlful, manglebeets (a new favourite from Koanga gardens - a white beetroot that you can eat the tops from too, great value), cucumbers, courgettes, beetroot, potatoes... etc.  Over summer the garden was extended in places, and our visiting friends and family (lots of them!) helped out.  Warren's dad helped us put the laundry bench and cover in on the deck,  Noreen and Tony made the log-chopping bench and the container cover and kayak shelving set-up, AND the boys put the soffits up on the huts whilst the girls stained all the outside furniture. Sue and Dean and family tested the tent site, as did Dave and family, and Jessica. They all agreed that it was flat enough.  Dave started to draw up the levels for the section so we can really start work on the design of the 'big house'. And we drank wine and made more plans and went to the beach.

Challenges are:
-waking early to find the power off at the powerhouse, and needing to trot down the hill in your nightie to turn it back on so you can read your book. 

- negotiating the steep hill to change the nozzles on the hydro power generator (to cater to water flow changes and maximise power available)

- having the tank water run out just as you step into the shower (all dirty after a days hard grafting), then needing to harness 'community action' to get the inlet cleared enough to have the water filling the tank again (creek/spring) for the morning

- staying awake long enough after a days hard grafting, to read a book or watch the movie that hubby puts on

- looking at the fantastic sunrises whilst not burning the toast on the gas

- eating all the courgettes.

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Optimise Base Shift to Nelson February 2008

Principle Ergonomist, Marion Edwin, moved from Rotorua to the Nelson region in February 2008. This change will allow clients in the lower North Island and the South Island to enjoy greater ease of access to Optimise ergonomists. Optimise continues to offer services throughout New Zealand.

Why the move?

Marion and her family have established a home and office base in the Te Manawa Eco-village just south of Motueka. Marion is enjoying the opportunity to design grounds, gardens, a home and workplace that will truly optimise her own and her family’s performance. The opportunity to participate in an eco-village community and to participate in activities that support our planet to survive is the fulfilment of a dream. She is revelling in the practises of permaculture, climbing the steep learning curve of life ‘off-grid’, and having a blast digging and chain-sawing and physically carving out a place on the hill with a wonderful view. She is also thrilled that her young son will be able to spend more time with Grandma, Grandpop and his big cousins.

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Optimise Associate

Optimise is happy to announce that Sue Alexander, Associate New Zealand Ergonomist has joined the Optimise team. Sue is based in Christchurch where she works part-time with Canterbury District Health Board as a Safe Handling Advisor. Sue and Marion have worked together in a range of roles and positions over the years, and have complementary skills and strengths. Sue’s availability as an Associate of Optimise Ltd may make it easier for Christchurch-based clients to link with Optimise.

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President's Award 2009

The New Zealand Ergonomics Society (NZES) Conference in Martinborough (May 26-29) saw Marion Edwin honoured via presentation with the 'President's Award 2009'. The award recognises those who have contributed to the advancement of the ergonomics profession in this country.

Marion Edwin receiving the NZES President's Award on 27 May 2009, from Dr Mark Boocock, outgoing NZES President.

Marion's award recognised many years of voluntary work for the society, and was given for "outstanding contributions to the advancement of ergonomics in New Zealand between 1991 and 2009". However Marion is quick to point out that she really only started to make an impact after taking the role as Treasurer in 1997. She consequently held posts as President and Secretary, working to update the NZES's constitution and the documentation of administration processes. Marion worked on committees for the 1999 and 2002 NZES conferences, and in 2002 was nominated for a position on the Board for Certification of New Zealand Ergonomists (BCNZE).

Taking over as Convenor of the certification body in 2003, Marion drove the action necessary to see the BCNZE scheme in late 2008 be one of the first endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association. This benchmarks the scheme against internationally accepted criteria and ensures that New Zealand certification has international validity. Again Marion is quick to acknowledge that she did not do this alone, but has always enjoyed the opportunity to work with many other fantastic and committed people through the process. Not yet satisfied that she had 'done her bit' for the society, in 2005 Marion took the role as editor of the member's newsletter 'Ergonomics NZ', stepping down at the recent AGM.

Marion thanks society stalwarts such as Dave Moore, David Tappin, Richard Parker, Sue Alexander, Nic Green, Tim Bentley, Liz Ashby (and many, many others) for the 'great ride' that has been the society's journey to date. She has enjoyed sharing a passion for the profession and notes that more than a few glasses of good single malt or gutsy red have oiled the cogs that have turned in order to 'advance the profession'. A good sense of humour is also essential. She encourages all members to step up to the challenges of committee roles as a great way to have communication (and some good belly laughs) with like-minded professionals. She strongly believes that 'you get out what you put in', and doesn't plan that her ride with the society is over yet.

Marion continues to have active involvement with the 'Ergonomics and Human Factors in Education' special interest group of the NZES. Here her energy will be harnessed in a drive to liaise with the education sector for the provision of information about safe computer and associated technology use. The goal is to ensure that students and teachers are provided with information and environments that support the development of good student work habits during school years to reduce their risk of suffering discomfort both at school and on into the workforce.

Marion does hope that she will have a little more time to spend with family in the development of their eco-village section in the Motueka Valley. Ask her about composting toilets...

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NZES 2007 Conference

November 7th to 11th 2007 saw Optimise ergonomists enjoying the 14th New Zealand Ergonomics Society Conference, held this year on Waiheke Island. NZES conferences are known for their friendliness and the approachability of all participants, and for having a mix of academic and practical presentations. This year’s excellent keynote speakers were no exception, with the well-known Professor Alan Hedge (Cornell and Syracuse Universities) and Professor John Wilson (University of New South Wales and University of Nottingham) both providing thought-provoking presentations.

Professor Hedge discussed the role of ergonomics in the current drive for ‘environmental friendliness’, promoting the role of ergonomists in designing ‘from the inside-out’ (versus architects, whom may perhaps design ‘from the outside-in’). He discussed the term ‘ergotecture’, noting that the ‘green environments’ of today and the future must be designed with the human user in mind, to ensure effectiveness and optimal uptake in society. He described ergotecture as the design process that integrates information from the micro-level of human needs through to the macro-level of societal responsibility. Optimise recognises that an ergonomics approach is beneficial in the design of the new processes, actions and products created for environmental reasons. It was of interest that several other papers at this conference also had an ‘eco-friendly’ theme – further strengthening the suggestion that ergonomists have a vital role to play in this field. Professor Hedge also presented a workshop on ‘children and computers - past present and future’, another strong interest area for Optimise ergonomists.

A workshop by Professor Wilson investigated the differences and similarities between design processes that are ‘user centred’ versus those using ‘participative ergonomics methods’, arguing that whilst many methods used by ergonomists might be user-centred, that few are truly participative. This challenges the terminology and frame of reference used in practice by ergonomists. The level of participation that is achieved also depends on the skill of the facilitator. Professor Wilson’s keynote address then introduced many conference participants to the issues being addressed by ergonomists working in the rail industry in the United Kingdom. This is a field in which few New Zealand ergonomists work – due largely to our relatively tiny rail network. Professor Hedge referred to the need for rail systems to have a degree of resilience engineered into the system, so that should a risk or disturbance (to the safe and efficient running of the rail system) occur, that the system is able to ‘bounce back’ without serious consequence.

The NZES conference provided an excellent venue to meet with these two internationally respected ergonomists, and to network with other local ergonomists. NZES conferences are generally held at 18 month intervals, with the next to be held in early 2009. Those with an interest in attending these events should check the New Zealand Ergonomics Society website and consider joining the society to take advantage of member price reductions and notifications.

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NZES 2009 Conference

NZES 2009 Conference May 26th - 28th saw the 15th New Zealand Ergonomics Society Conference taking place at Brackenridge Country Retreat, Martinborough, with Optimise ergonomists attending and presenting. The conference theme was 'Ergonomics for the Ageing Population', and paper topics included: designing for elders; medicine package opening/package design; visual performance and ageing; prevalence of LBP in NZ employees; trunk rotation and effects on alterations in sagittal plane trunk posture; MSD in medical radiation technologists performing breast screening (Optimise); MSD in NZ vets; use of self reports of reduced productivity to enhance uptake of H&S initiatives for computer users; injury claim analyses from construction and logging sectors, heating and lighting - energy conservation vs performance for elders; design aesthetics, assessment methods; and dental chair design. It was a pleasure to meet with presenters from India and other countries, and always inspiring to discuss professional issues with colleagues from around the country.

The conference is always a busy time for NZES members, with meetings shoe-horned in between conference events. Optimise ergonomists attended meetings at the lunch break, networked at every opportunity, and contributed to the NZES AGM that was squeezed between presentations and the conference dinner, and the Board for Certification of NZ Ergonomist's breakfast meeting. Marion was honoured to receive the NZES 'President's Award 2009' at the conference dinner, this award recognising her 'outstanding contributions to the advancement of ergonomics in NZ between 1991 and 2009'. The obligatory after-dinner get together was consequently well-attended by tireless Optimise personnel.

Marion Edwin presented the paper entitled "Musculoskeletal Discomfort Risk Factors for Medical Radiation Technologists (MRTs) Performing Breast Screening" (click here to download this paper) co-written with Sue Alexander, Optimise associate. This paper was a case-study of a project with a DHB, and was well-received by the audience due to both the general interest value (NZ women 45-69 years are offered free breast screening), and the range of human performance issues contributing to the discomfort risks for the MRT. Also appreciated were the bowls of pink and white marshmellows passed around during the presentation, and the use of a breast prosthesis to demonstrate the weight of breast tissue that is handled by MRTs as they carry out their important work. NZES conferences have traditionally been held every 18 months, but recent formation of the combined OHSIG body will have a likely knock-on to the frequency and format of these NZES events. Optimise looks forward to continued participation in NZES national conferences, whatever their format.

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