National Ergonomics Associations

• A field of safety science, ergonomics involves matching the environment and equipment used in a workplace to the needs and abilities of the people who work there, explains the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Professionals in the field of ergonomics conduct research and design systems and products to help reduce the risk of work-related injury and illnesses. A few national ergonomics associations exist in the United States and abroad, providing services like certification and educational resources for professionals who work in ergonomics.

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

• The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society began in 1957 and has its headquarters in Santa Monica, California. The national group consists of more than 50 professional and student chapters located throughout the United States. As of November 2010, the society had more than 4,500 members, including safety engineers and scientists, psychologists and other professionals whose jobs include a focus on ergonomics.

  Through its 23 technical groups, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society conducts research and publishes findings on ergonomics related to specific fields like health care and computer science. The group began publishing ergonomics standards during the late 1980s and engages in lobbying at the federal and state level on ergonomics-related issues.

  For its members, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society offers training workshops and continuing education credit courses. The organization maintains a listing of job openings throughout the United States and publishes an electronic newsletter each month. Each year the association awards fellowships to fund the research of ergonomics professionals, and it hosts an annual conference.

Association of Canadian Ergonomists

• The Association of Canadian Ergonomists serves as the national organization for ergonomics professionals in Canada. The association formed in 1968 and operates from headquarters in the city of Calgary in the province of Alberta. The group has six regional chapters throughout the country and is a bilingual organization, conducting official business in both French and English. More than 600 professionals comprised the group's membership as of November 2010.

  The association oversees a certification program for professionals involved in ergonomics. Certification requires the completion of educational training courses and professional experience related to ergonomics. The association evaluates applicants and periodically updates certification requirements.

  For its members, the Association of Canadian Ergonomists has an employment referral service. It also hosts an annual conference and publishes its monthly Communiqué newsletter.

Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics

• The Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics, or BCPE, is the national association that oversees certifications in the field of ergonomics in the United States. The organization formed in 1990 and has its headquarters in Bellingham, Washington. The group had given credentials to more than 1,500 ergonomics professionals, according to its website of November 2010.

  The BCPE offers its certification at both an associate, or introductory, and a master level. The master level includes specialization designations for professional ergonomists, human factors professionals, and user experience professionals. The association evaluates the educational and professional accomplishments of all applicants. It also develops and updates a written examination for each category of certification.

  This organization hosts an annual networking event for professional in the field. For those with certification, the association offers an employment referral service.