ABSTRACT

The next year it was decided to establish the society’s own journal, and the first of ergonomics: SA was published in 1989. Although the articles have been primarily from local contributors, there have been international authors and the Editorial Board includes international referees. The present emphasis of the journal is to encourage articles on applied ergonomics, specifically based on research conducted in industrially developing countries. From 1989 to 1994 membership dropped to a low of 20. In 1994 under revived administration, taking advantage of a revitalized national milieu, the Fifth Conference “esa ’94” was held in Grahamstown. Hal Hendrick, distinguished President of the IEA, was keynote speaker at a poorly attended conference where about 20 papers were read. Jack Charteris was elected Chair and a new look, leaner society with a smaller Council was elected. At this meeting it was agreed to focus on establishing a more solid society within the country and to modify the name of the society to the Ergonomics Society of South Africa (ESSA). The Society’s flagging fortunes began to turn around, due particularly to the eventual acceptance by the IEA of ESSA as a Federated Member Society. Pat Scott was elected to represent ESSA at the joint IEA/ South American Conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1995. The years 1996-98 saw a steady increase in ESSA membership. Houshang Shahnavaz and Pat Scott ran five successful Roving Seminars to introduce the new ILO/ IEA “Ergonomics Checkpoints” and in 1996 the Sixth Conference, “esa ’96” was staged in conjunction with the National Occupational Safety and Health Association’s

Convention NOSHCON ’96 at the World Trade Centre in Johannesburg. African ILO representative Joshua Nkurlu delivered the Keynote Address.