Office

• “I first met Deborah eight years ago and was immediately impressed with her knowledge and passion for injury prevention through ergonomic design – as a manufacturing company, this is so important to us! Since then, ErgoGirl and her team have provided superior service and practical solutions to every odd problem we threw at them. Finally, someone who understands why we need to consider the human-machine interface – so much so, she even tailored a class for our manufacturing technology group and engineers. This class was so well received, I’ve been asked to have an ongoing series of classes. We continue to reap the rewards from this class and ErgoFit’s visits on an on-going basis as our engineers are always looking out for the production employee's interface with the machine controls and operations – not only to make them SAFE – but also ERGONOMIC, reducing the risk for MSD injuries.” — John Hurst, EH&S Manager, Cascade Designs, Inc

• “Hello Karen, I just wanted to write to thank you for everything during this first experience with your firm. From start to finish – and beyond into actual product purchasing from other unrelated vendors – you’ve been a tremendous help. You are timely, detailed, professional! We will be using your firm for all our ergonomic review needs.” — Amy Hewett, EH&S Receptionist, SugarCRM

• "After your ‘Work From Home Office Ergonomics’ webinar, the team feedback on my side was very positive. In fact, more than a month afterward, they continue to talk about what they are doing RIGHT now vs. what they were doing wrong. Someone just mentioned it again yesterday! So you clearly made an impact!”— - Nicole Barrick, Director - Global Manufacturing Services, Church & Dwight (makers of Arm & Hammer)

• "I just wanted to thank you for your ergonomic assessment, training and associated recommendations.  Our 911 team found you to be very thorough, practical, and helpful.  We are currently working on implementing your recommendations. - Thank you” — Greg Erickson, Deputy Director, What-Comm 911, City of Bellingham 

• “Thanks for the follow up... Please pass on to Deborah my sincerest thanks. She was so helpful in this process that I now classify everything related to my accommodation as “pre-Deborah” and “post-Deborah”! It’s still a work in progress. We should be finalized in May I think, but yes, we have made huge steps forward and it’s MUCH improved, almost all of it thanks to her. Thanks again for all the hard work and expertise brought to our department on my behalf. Sincerely,”   - Andrew Bell, Emergency Department Registrar, University of Washington Medical Center

• “Today you came to Fresh Consulting and gave an overview session during our lunch. I wanted to say thank you very much for doing so. After taking some notes and coming back to my desk, I noticed I was using a lot of the “older” recommendations and have updated accordingly and I’m immediately noticing a difference! I greatly appreciate your time!” — Sean Patterson, Software Development Director, Fresh Consulting

• "…You came over to PATH about a month ago to do an ergo evaluation with me and I just wanted to let you know that my neck and back have been doing much much better ever since. I’ve been doing chiropractic, massage therapy and acupuncture and even those three combined didn’t help as much as the adjustments that you made to my sitting and standing arrangements at work.Thank you so much, I am so glad PATH provides this service … Kind regards, Emma "

When we shared the above with Mary Cooke at PATH this is what she had to say:

• "This is so great.  Thank you for sharing this with us. I am so thankful for our partnership.” — Mary Cooke, Facilities Administrative Officer, PATH

• "We felt we were not getting the service level we expected while working with several other ergonomics providers. The expectations formed around scaling to our offices across the U.S. and providing a consistent and valuable service to our employees. Most of the providers wanted to sell their own equipment/furniture, provided poor customer service, or were simply not able to keep up with scheduling appointments. We chose ErgoFit based on their professionalism, open communication, and most importantly, the expertise & passion for ergonomics each of their consultants show. We regularly receive positive feedback from our employees across the U.S., no matter who is conducting an assessment. As the program has developed and grown, ErgoFit takes the initiative to seek ways to improve their service, which makes my job easier, and adds value to our program. We made the right choice!” — Matthew Horine, Workplace Health & Safety Specialist, Tableau Software

• “We felt we were not getting the service we wanted, and the other provider’s pricing was high.  We chose you based on your vision, your passion, your experience, and your value pricing.  You guys have been "rocking it' since early 2016, with great service, pricing, and communication from the whole team.  We know you’ve always got our best interest in mind.  Everyone is always right on top of everything and we are very happy!” — Kevin Smith, Senior Facilities Coordinator, HomeStreet Bank

• “The team really enjoyed Paul's, ‘What To Aim For...’ ergonomics presentation. Paul did a great job of presenting to the team and making it a very open and interactive presentation. The team took all of his direction and quickly tried to implement it when they got back to their desks. He even stuck around to meet with a few employees that had specific questions. Enjoyed the training all around and would happily recommend ErgoFit to anyone.” — David Isaacs, HR/Recruiter, Fresh Consulting

• “I wanted to let you know that Paul did a fantastic job presenting the sit/stand workshops for us.  He was very engaging, well-spoken, and provided very practical advice for our employees.  I’ve received very good feedback from a number of our participants.  The workshops were definitely a valuable complement to our ergonomics program.” — Dustin Walker, EH&S Manger, Gilead Sciences, Inc.

• “My experience with ErgoFit was phenomenal. As an employee of Aptevo Therapeutics, ErgoFit came in for a seminar to present ways we could improve our safety and overall wellbeing at work. During the seminar, I learned small ways that I could improve, such as lowering my monitor or getting rid of my footrest. Immediately after the seminar, I started applying what I had learned. All the small suggestions and tweaks to what I had always been doing at my desk, that I had learned from ErgoFit, made such an improvement!  I noticed that I no longer had terrible neck pain after work; I no longer had knee pain; and I no longer had wrist pain. I highly recommend ErgoFit to any business! Thanks so much for coming to Aptevo. You truly helped me!” — Rachel Kevlin, Aptevo Therapeutics
  

• “Our goals here at Seattle City Light are to reduce injury, speed up return to work, and become more proactive rather than be reactive.  I needed to know how our processes measured up – where are we strong, where are we weak -- after 2 years of development, in both the office and field/industrial divisions, so I took ErgoFit Consulting’s Ergonomics Benchmarking Survey.

  I found this survey to be very insightful.   My direct senior leadership and supervisor found the data to be an accurate assessment and they were also happy that office and industrial were analyzed separately.  They plan to use the results to press for more of what is needed as shown by the benchmarking survey, including securing more budget to support new and ongoing projects.

  If done annually, it will allow us to see where we are improving and where we need to place more attention going forward to continuously build on our efforts." – Keith Osborne, Ergonomist, Seattle City Light

• “Since taking the [Train the Evaluator: Office Ergonomic Screens©] class last year, I have done dozens of office evaluations here and had great success in solving some of our employees’ ergonomic needs. Very rewarding!” – Evan Brestar, EHS Specialist II, Seattle life sciences organization

• "My consultant was absolutely amazing. She was knowledgeable and very personable. I feel that she made a very accurate assessment of my workstation and based on her recommendations my work experience and productivity has improved." — Employee, Department of Veterans Affairs

• "We all truly enjoyed the office ergonomics training that Paul provided -- was great!  Everyone learned so much, and we saw so many people utilize this information as soon as they returned to their desks.” — Rachel Harris, Paula's Choice Skincare

• "I thought your service and process was fantastic and well done.  I really can't say I could add anything to it.  So I certainly will use you again." — Randy Pickett, Safety Director, Harnish Group

• “This was a great experience!  … Just how fluid it was through the process. I made the request, there was a fast response, the employee was pleased with the experience, and we received the report quickly. You also are able to provide a vendor recommendation.” — Nancy LaJambe, Human Resources Coordinator, Juno Therapeutics

• ”You guys have been great to work with over the years. You’ve always steered us in the right direction and been readily available when we needed you. Getting your guidance on our new office design and new furniture is of such value. Your expertise has assisted us in areas far beyond equipment placement and use, and for that we are very thankful.“ — Misty Fisher, KBA, Inc.

• "ErgoFit Consulting is the 'go-to' company (in my opinion) for all matters related to ergonomics.  I know them to be committed to meeting the needs of their clients, and I feel confident that they will be able to help guide you." - Karen L. Beisner, SPHR, Director of Human Resources, Senior Services (Seattle)

• "It's been great working with you! Everyone who's worked with your team has only had good things to say, so thank you, very much for the great customer service.  Looking forward to working with you next year, too! Can't say enough good things about you!" — Stephanie Sanderson, Senior Human Resource Consultant & Reasonable Accommodation Specialist, WA State Employment Security Department

• “The best office ergonomic presentation I’ve ever seen!” — Jack McGill, HR Director Simpson Timber

• “A true professional, Deborah is passionate about safety in the workplace.  Her assessment and product recommendations were timely and cost-effective, her manner upbeat and positive.  Deborah’s occupational therapy perspective ensures business owners focus on the proactive goal of injury prevention.” — Kathryn Barrett, RN, MSN, President, Aging Matters LLC

• “I'm sure you hear this all the time, but I want you to know...Kim does a great job. She connects with people, making them feel comfortable during evaluations, and comes up with solutions that folks almost always buy into. Also, Kim follows through with each case she takes on. It is the rare exception when someone back slides after follow up with Kim's assistance. Kim recently had a couple really hard ones to solve and her creativity was refreshing. People here are seeing real, solid benefits from your services. Thanks again for all the great work you do.” — Paul Lundy, Senior Director, Facilities, Seattle Genetics, Inc.

• “I highly encourage employers to invite ErgoFit into their organization to conduct a thorough and professional evaluation of ergonomically-challenged offices or office space. Deborah’s obvious passion for health and wellness exudes through her “cracker jack” personality and spirit, resulting in positive results for everyone involved.” — Ingrid Anderson, Human Resources Manager, Eastside Fire & Rescue

• "ErgoFit Consulting provides our staff with the knowledge they needed to address their various ergonomic issues. They offer guidance and suggestions that bring immediate relief; and, they are able to identify system and facility problems that cause discomfort. Their dynamic workshops and insightful one-on-one evaluations trained our staff to identify their unique physical situation and make decisions that could impact their work environment.” — Jane Summerfield, Research Administrator

• “…ability to help our employees understand how to set up their workstations and reduce strain was above and beyond that of our expectations…Since the provision of ErgoFit’s services we have had no complaints from our staff…” — Sean Plattner, Safety Engineer, ICON Materials

• “Thanks for the prompt turnaround.  I have had nothing but positive comments and several who did not attend [the workshop] asked if we would have a future session…a great success!” — Tina Tyler, Administrative Officer, Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Lab

• “The staff who were evaluated are doing great, and we are really impressed with your service.  We look forward to a long working relationship with your company.” — Coral Letnes, Business Manager, Crisis Clinic

 

Laboratory 

• "The Ergonomic Design Consultation for our space modification was just what we were looking for and was helpful in many ways: a) it provided specifications for our design and facilities team to ensure our plans and equipment purchases were ergonomically sound; b) it helped to demonstrate to management and employees that a thoughtful process was used in the choices that were made, and c) it communicates to employees that we value their health and safety." — Nancy LaJambe, Human Resources Coordinator, Juno Therapeutics

• "... We have already started a few things, reorganizing cage prep area, food storage in cooler and storage, working on ordering another self-leveling cart, and we have put in for and received money to purchase a bedding dispenser for setting up the cages.  I also see people trying new ways to do things so this has gotten them to look at what they are doing.

  Thank you all so much for your time and help." — Sally Varnam, Supervisor, Veterinary Medical Unit, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System

• "Thanks for your help.  The staff really appreciates the changes we have made and have seen a decrease in the amount of discomfort while working.  I consider the consultations you have provided as an investment in our staff." — Dawn Johnson, Pathology Associates

 

Industrial 

• “I sent out to all of our teams your evaluation for driving and I can say, without a doubt, that I have had more positive feedback from your suggestions than any one email I have ever sent out here at Hoffman.  (That says a lot since I have been here 32 years)Thanks for providing easy suggestions that anyone can follow.” — Sheri Sundstrom, CRIS, Insurance Claims Manager, Hoffman Corporation

• “Our goals here at Seattle City Light are to reduce injury, speed up return to work, and become more proactive rather than be reactive.  I needed to know how our processes measured up – where are we strong, where are we weak -- after 2 years of development, in both the office and field/industrial divisions, so I took ErgoFit Consulting’s Ergonomics Benchmarking Survey.

  I found this survey to be very insightful.   My direct senior leadership and supervisor found the data to be an accurate assessment and they were also happy that office and industrial were analyzed separately.  They plan to use the results to press for more of what is needed as shown by the benchmarking survey, including securing more budget to support new and ongoing projects.

  If done annually, it will allow us to see where we are improving and where we need to place more attention going forward to continuously build on our efforts." – Keith Osborne, Ergonomist, Seattle City Light

• "You do good work and are always spot on, so it’s an easy call when I have a referral to make for an ergonomic evaluation or job modification for our industrial rehab patients!  You are always the first to come to mind.  I appreciate you guys.” — Nathanial Duris, Occupational Therapist/Clinic Operations Manager, Peoples Injury Network Northwest

• “The Warehouse team really enjoyed the training.  Patrice mentioned that a big take away for our employees was that even though they are active, it does not mean they are necessarily in proper shape.  Doing the trainings really got them to realize the stress their work places on their bodies and how the stretches can help prevent that.  One of our HR team members visited the warehouse the same day as this training, and said people couldn’t stop talking about it.” – Rachel Harris, Paula’s Choice Skin Care

• "Everything is going well and the guys feel equipped each day for their tasks both mentally and more importantly physically! Once again your program I believe is ahead of the curve and needs to spread out through the entire workplace. I've personally handed out several of your business cards with a highly endorsed message of what it has done for D9 and will continue to do so!!" — Mark Anderson, Installation Manager, Division 9 Flooring

• "This was the first time in 7 years that a training received applause!" — Curt Russell, Safety & Emergency Preparation Coordinator, Alderwood Water & Wastewater District

• "Mowat has been working with Deborah Read and ErgoFit since 2007.  Mowat has benefitted immeasurably from the ErgoFit Programs we have put in place.  Chief among them are the Shift Prep and Stretch Break programs we replaced our old stretch and flex program with.  We have also utilized ErgoFit for work station evaluations, ergonomic evaluations of our field processes and for training our foreman to think about task matching (matching the body to the task rather than expecting everyone to be able to do everything).   Among our long term employees we have seen near elimination of MSDs.  We have seen a reduction in slips trips and falls because the Shift Pre and Stretch Break programs focus on warm up, strengthening the small joint stabilizing muscles and improving balance.  Our only difficulty is in new hires who bring preexisting conditions to the job.  We are, however, getting better at training our supervisors to assess worker’s suitability for a given task.

  In summary, I simply cannot say enough good about ErgoFit, Deborah and her team." — Bruce McGaw, Safety Director, Mowat Construction Company
  

• “The Shift Prep program that ErgoFit implemented with our company has provided our crews with a top notch, dynamic warm up that has proven to be effective throughout all of our projects, bringing positive attitude to the health and well being of all workers. This program offers the cutting edge in injury prevention and joint stabilization, ultimately improving the quality of personal health both at work and at home. We have seen a decrease in strain / sprain injuries and improved moral. We all look forward to the tremendous benefits that will be obtained for years to come, as we continue to utilize this specialized warm up program.” — Rhett Carpenter, CHST, Safety Manager, Bayley Construction
  

• “Out of a total of 3,950 possible evaluation answers, 45% were rated as Excellent, 43% were rated as Very Good, 11% were rated as Good, 1% were rated as Fair, ,and 0% were rated as Unsatisfactory! I am so excited that the Management also feels there is enough support from the mechanics to move forward with this program.” — Susan Turner, Sr. Safety and Health Specialist, City of Seattle Fleets and Facilities

• “In the 2 months since we rolled out the Shift Prep! -  Joint Stabilization program, we have not had one sprain/strain incident compared to the same time period a year ago where we had three. We look forward to rolling it out again at the start of our next large project.” — Steven Brennan, Safety Director, Lease Crutcher Lewis

• “This program is working well and more workers have joined in than we had initially so I think it’s a good thing!! We’ll roll it out at another project when I return from vacation. Thanks for your great coaching!!” — Rob Parker, Safety Director, Lydig Construction Inc.

• “After doing your warm up program for only 2 weeks, my back pain has already practically gone away.” — Laborer, Bayley Construction

• "Ergofit Consulting provided an ergonomic evaluation to our department. Based on the evaluation and recommendations, we have implemented significant process improvements in three of our four core areas.  I can't thank you enough for your energy, enthusiasm and assistance in moving our team forward in safety!! I am so glad we have done this project for our team! Your knowledge of the subject has helped us tremendously." — Jill Burt, Manager, Mail & Distribution Services

• “You quickly developed a rapport with the employees. Your presentation gave the employees useful tools for them to be able to take care of themselves….[there seems to be] a new attitude of the employees towards safety in that they are helping other employees who were not at your presentation by correcting them when they are seen doing something the wrong way….[and] the employees are beginning to believe that the store is concerned about their health and safety.” — Store Manager of a National Grocery Chain

• "I appreciate Kim's knowledge, diligence, expertise, and humour in presenting this Home Health Aide body mechanics workshop. You did a wonderful job!" — Nancy James, RN, BSN and Director of Professional Affairs,  Home Care Association of Washington

• "Thank you so much for contributing to the health and wellbeing of our workforce. Your programs are great and were very warmly received…I feel strongly that your success is driven by who you are; your vivacious personalities, the intelligence and experience you bring, and perhaps the most valuable element is your natural abilities to connect with our diverse work force, which is no small challenge. I appreciate you.” — Bruce McGaw, Safety Director, Mowat Construction Company

• “We have gone 443 days without an injury here.  We credit your exercises - which they are still doing every day -  with helping make this happen.  Our recorded accident history goes back to 1988, and this is a first!” — Owner, Olympian Precast Inc.

• “I AM A BELIEVER!  Shift Prep and Stretch Breaks Have SAAAAAVED our aging work force!” — Bruce McGaw, Safety Director, Mowat Construction Company
  

• “[The] holistic approach has allowed us to identify and address root causes of problems rather than simply treating symptoms enabling us to work toward long-term solutions.  Deborah has been instrumental in identifying and providing resources for solution development.  It is refreshing to receive attainable solutions as part of an evaluative and identification process…Deborah has developed a program with both long and short term goals, root caused oriented and implementable by staff and supervisors.  I would recommend Deborah to any group which is seriously pursuing long terms solutions to job/task related issues…” — E.J. Hook, Facilities Supervisor, Woodland Park Zoo 

• “Folks that would normally be grumbling about any kind of training were having appropriate conversation about safety after Deborah’s talk.”  — Woody Wilkinson, Director of Facilities and Maintenance Division, Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation 

• “I would like to thank Deborah for her dedication, hard work, and attention to detail.  She is very professional and friendly and I would recommend her to anyone who needs help with ergonomic or injury prevention issues.  Deborah has really good positive energy and was great to work with.” — Steve Vela, Evans Pool Coordinator, Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation

 

Fire & EMS

• I'm a female paramedic approaching 18 years of service with no significant back injuries; I am certain this is due to Deborah Read's instruction.  I had the privilege of observing her classes on multiple occasions and to this day, I use her tips and techniques, certainly in my job, but also in my everyday life.  I wish all EMS professionals had the same opportunity as lifting injuries are commonplace in our line of work.” — Di, EMS Professional

• “Excellent knowledge of functional requirements of the fire service. Nicely done!” — Shoreline (WA) Fire Department participant about the Tubing Program Training 

• "… Deborah has been involved in ergonomics and overall safety and wellness. In my 14 years of firefighter wellness experience, I have not seen the level of commitment and the competency in being able to motivate and teach a wide variety of personalities that I see in Deborah.  This is proven time and again, not alone in my own observations, but in the session evaluations that I review after Deborah’s classes. I believe that Deborah would be an excellent provider for your organization, especially as part of the IAFF/IAFC/ACE Peer Fitness Trainer program. If you have the opportunity to meet Deborah it will be obvious that her commitment to fitness and wellness is her passion and not just a career.” — Kevin Fetter, Wellness Coordinator and Peer Fitness Trainer, Snohomish County Fire District 1 

• “We have had tremendous outcomes with ErgoFit Consulting, especially Deborah Read.  She has trained our group of 30 Peer Fitness Trainers for many years. She first presented a much needed 3 hour continuing education class when our PFTs were new and did not have a lot of experience providing Exercise Prescription to other fire fighters. She had been working with the IAFF and other depts., and went through some drills herself, so had a good understanding of our industry.  Later, she provided a 9 hour CEU class for PFTs with much more in-depth content on Injury Prevention and working with firefighters at varying fitness levels. She provided all handouts then did a ton of hands on training. Our firefighters loved it! Our injuries declined greatly from 2002-2009, the years we were working directly with Deborah.  I attribute it directly to her knowledge/skills and teaching ability. ErgoFit provides tremendous value for their pricing. I would love to use ErgoFit every year for annual training because they have the most up-to-date information and they ‘get’ fire fighters.” — Janet Woodside, RN, MSN, EMS Program Manager, Portland Fire & Rescue 

• "You have been great to work with in everything. It may sound funny, but, you keep me motivated to be a better leader for my guys." — Jeremy McBride, West Valley City Fire Department, Utah 

• “Over the past year I have worked on several projects with Deborah involving functional training, injury prevention, ergonomics, and group exercise for firefighters. Her expertise, enthusiasm and presentation skills have made her classes a favorite among firefighters and helped reduce injuries in the fire service. As an adjunct professor for Glendale Community College and as a Division Chief for the Phoenix Fire Department I evaluate many instructors for their ability to induce learning and change behaviors. In my opinion, Deborah is an excellent instructor with impeccable qualifications (i.e. education, application, and organization).” — Scott Peltin, Division Chief of the Phoenix Fire Department, and original member of the IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness Initiative Committee 

• “All of our trainers were highly impressed with Deborah’s knowledge and professionalism. The instructional guides, including posters and manuals, were outstanding. The materials were easy to follow with the use of pictures and written descriptions of the exercises. She was very thorough in her teaching and explanations. All of the trainers evaluated her class in the excellent to superior categories….Deborah is obviously very knowledgeable and dedicated to the health and wellness profession.” — Christopher Whitmire, Commander, Health and Wellness Committee Chairman, Marietta Fire and Emergency Services 

• “Nice to see someone energetic and strong enough to do the most advanced level. Hope to have you back for further classes.” -- From Shoreline (WA) Fire Department participants about the Tubing Program Training