What is ergonomics ?

The word ergonomics comes from two Greek words, ergo

means work and nomos means laws. Therefore, ergonomics is
the law of work. Ergonomics is a science focused on:
The study of human fit
Decreased fatigue and discomfort through
product design.
Con..
– Ergonomics puts people first, taking into account
their capabilities and limitations.
– Ergonomics aims to make sure that: (tasks,
equipment, information and the environment) suit
each worker, at (work, school, home)
– When job fit the user, the result can be more
comfort, higher productivity, and less stress.
– Ergonomics is the science of designing the job to fit
the worker, rather than physically forcing the
worker’s body to fit the job.

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Con..
 What do you say about the fitness of this person
and his work?

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Ergonomics is defined as:

Ergonomics also can define it, which is the design of the

workplace, equipment, machine, tool, product,
environment, and system.

Considering human’s capabilities and optimizing

effectiveness and productivity of work systems while
assuring safety, health and well being of the workers. As
it’s stated in the following ergonomics flow chart on the
next slide.

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 - Safety
- Health Work systems:
- Well-being of workers - Effectiveness and
- Productivity
Assuring

Ergonomics
Optimizing

Is

Design of: - workplace

- Equipment Human’s capabilities like:
- Machine/ tool - Physical
- Product - Physiological
- Environment and Considering - Biomechanical
- System

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Ergonomics is Concerned with the study of human
interaction:
 With man made objectives and process
 With the natural or man made environment.

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Ergonomics is a science concerned with the ‘fit’ between
people and their work.

To assess the fit between a person and their work, ergonomists

have to consider many aspects. These include:
 The job being done and the demands on the worker;
 The equipment used (its size, shape, and how appropriate it
is for the task);
 The information used (how it is presented, accessed, and
changed);
 The physical environment (temperature, humidity, lighting,
noise, vibration); and
 The social environment (such as teamwork and supportive
management).

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Ergonomists consider all the physical aspects of a
person, such as:
Body size and shape;
Fitness and strength;
Posture;
The senses, especially vision, hearing and touch
The stresses and strains on muscles, joints,
nerves.

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 Historical background of ergonomics
Ergonomics starts in the context of the culture of ancient Greece.
In 1700s, Ramazzini describes relationship between physical
labor and stress invoked in human body.
In 1800s, Taylor develops methods & tools to reduce work
fatigue.
In 1920s and 1930s, Frank and Gilbreth provide the foundation
for the science of Ergonomics.
In 1949, discipline of ergonomics emerged in Great Britain.
In 1960s and 1970s, ergonomics became familiar study in IE.
In late 1970s, it was recognized as a multidisciplinary field at
Michigan University.

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 What kind of workplace problems,
can ergonomics solve?

Ergonomics is typically known for solving physical

problems. for example, ensuring that work surfaces are high
enough to allow adequate clearance for a worker’s legs

Ergonomics also deals with psychological and social aspects

of the person and their work. for example, a workload that is
too high or too low, unclear tasks, time pressures, inadequate
training, and poor social support can all have negative effects
on the person and the work they do.

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 The following examples highlight some ‘typical’ ergonomic
problems found in the workplace:
Display Screen Equipment:
– The screen is poorly positioned - it is too high/low/close/far
from the worker, or is offset to one side.
– The mouse is placed too far away and requires stretching to
use.
– Chairs are not properly adjusted to fit the person, forcing
awkward and uncomfortable postures.
– There is glare on the screen from overhead lights or windows,
increasing the risk of eyestrain.
– Hardware and/or software are not suitable for the task or the
person using it, causing frustration and distress.
– Not enough breaks or changes of activity.
These problems may result in mistakes and poor productivity,
stress, eye strain, headaches and other aches or pains.

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 How do we, identify ergonomic problems?
 There are many ways in which ergonomic problems can be
identified. These can range from general observations and
checklists to quantitative risk assessment tools.

Ideally, several approaches should be used:

Talking to employees and seeking their views. Employees
have important knowledge of the work they do, any
problems they have, and their impact on health, safety, and
performance;

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Con..
Assessing the work system by asking questions
such as:
– Is the person in a comfortable position?
– Does the person experience discomfort, including
aches, pain, fatigue, or stress?
– Is the equipment appropriate, easy to use and well
maintained?
– Is the person satisfied with their working
arrangements?
– Are there frequent errors?
– Are there signs of poor or inadequate equipment
design.

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Con..
Examining the circumstances surrounding frequent
errors and incidents where mistakes have occurred
and people have been injured. Use accident reports
to identify details of incidents and their possible
causes;

Recording and looking at sickness, absence and

staff turnover levels. High numbers may result
from the problems listed earlier and/or
dissatisfaction at work.

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 Human Factors and Ergonomics
• Human Factors is the scientific discipline concerned
with the understanding of interactions among humans
and other elements of a system.

• It is the profession that applies theory, principles, data

and methods to design in order to optimize human well-
being and overall system performance.

• It is about people in their working and living

environments, and it is about their relationship with
equipment, procedures, and the environment.

• It is about their relationships with other people ... Its

two objectives can be seen as safety and efficiency.''

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Human Factors Engineering factors
 Physical and mental work  Industrial design
capacity
 Work place design
 Fatigue
 Product design
 Body forces, strength and
posture  Furniture design
 Body sizes  Machine design
 Thermal comfort/ heat  Ventilation
stress/cold stress  Lighting
 Vision, Hearing, touch
 Acoustics
 Perception
 Engineering control
 Information processing
(Chemical & Physical)
 Decision making
 Building orientation
 Performance and efficiency
 Maintenance
 Adaptation and rehabilitation
 Behavior & social relations

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Human Factors Consideration

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 Ergonomics Approaches
According to International Ergonomics Association (IEA) ergonomics
broadly divide into three domains:
1. Physical ergonomics:
• Is concerned with human anatomical, anthropometric,
physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to
physical activity.
2. Cognitive ergonomics:
• Is concerned with mental processes, such as perception,
memory, reasoning, and motor response, as they affect
interactions among humans and other elements of a system.
3. Organizational ergonomics:
• Is concerned with the optimization of socio-technical systems,
including their organizational structures, policies, and processes.

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Ergonomics system Dimensions

People

Tasks

Tools/Equipment

Workplace Design

Work Environment

Work Organizations
Work culture

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 Ergonomics system Dimensions
 People:
− Consider points about, physical capacities, psychological drivers,
expectations and individual differences.

 Task Analysis
− Considers points about, performance measures, quality requirements
(what, how, when) details.

 Tools & Equipment

− Considers points about, design of tools to suit (persons and tasks).

 Workplace design
− Consider points about, layout of workplace, workstation design,
adjustability / adaptability and storage / transport of items.

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 Work Environment :
 Considers points about, physical, chemical, biological and
psychological. Noise
Vibration
Physical Illumination
Climate
Ventilation

Toxic gases
Chemical Toxic liquids
Odors
Chemical compounds
WORKING
ENVIRONMENT Fungus
Bacteria
Biological
Viruses
Insects

Team work
Command structure
Pay and welfare
Psychological Shift work
Risk & Stress
Socio-psychological aspects

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 Work Organization
− Consider points about, job design, team based requirements, working
hours / shift work, rest breaks and task specialization.
 Workplace culture
− Consider points about, management commitment / leadership,
communication / consultation processes and feedback / performance
management.

Goal of Ergonomics
Reduced error
 Fewer injuries or illness
 Fewer health problems
 Increased productivity Effects of poor Ergonomics
 Higher quality  Discomfort
 Accidents and injuries
 Fatigue
 Errors
 Illness
 Annoyance
 Productivity down
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