1. MADRAS SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
POST GRADUATE DEPARTMENT OF H.R.M
An Article review on
ERGONOMICS
Submitted By,
Balachandiran .B
MHRM-14-06
Submitted To,
Ms. Saranya
09th
July 2015

2. ERGONOMICS- CHANGING DYNAMICS OF WORKPLACE
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Balachandiran B
MHRM-14-06
MSSW
ERGONOMICS- THE VITAL ROLE
R. VENKATESAN, HRD TIMES- APRIL 2001
INTRODUCTION:
Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the
understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the
profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize
human well-being and overall system performance.
According to the Article,
Ergonomics literally means “Rules for work”. The study of ergonomics has its root
from various disciplines such as psychology, work study and various branches of engineering.
Other terms of Ergonomics are Human Factor Engineering, Bio-mechanics, Engineering
Psychology, Applied Experimental Psychology, Applied and Human Engineering Research,
Man-Machine System Analysis.

3. ERGONOMICS- CHANGING DYNAMICS OF WORKPLACE
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Balachandiran B
MHRM-14-06
MSSW
According to Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors,
Ergonomics is a science-based discipline that brings together knowledge from other
subjects such as anatomy and physiology, psychology, engineering and statistics to ensure that
designs complement the strengths and abilities of people and minimise the effects of their
limitations. Rather than expecting people to adapt to a design that forces them to work in an
uncomfortable, stressful or dangerous way, ergonomists and human factors specialists seek to
understand how a product, workplace or system can be designed to suit the people who need
to use it.
In achieving this aim, we need to understand and design for the variability represented
in the population, spanning such attributes as age, size, strength, cognitive ability, prior
experience, cultural expectations and goals. Qualified ergonomists are the only recognised
professionals to have competency in optimising performance, safety and comfort. The CIEHF
is the only body in the UK managing and representing this competency.
You usually don’t notice good design, unless it’s exceptionally good, because it gives
us no cause to. But you do notice poor design. If you’ve ever got lost in an airport with poor
signage, stared helplessly at a machine with incomprehensible instructions, cut your hands on
poor packaging or sighed as you had to move things around to reach something you need, you
know that a lack of ergonomic design can be incredibly frustrating. But it’s not just the small,
everyday things in which ergonomics has a role.
In the transport sector and in aviation in particular, the adoption of a human factors
approach has changed the design of air traffic control systems, flightdecks and aircraft interiors.
Human factors specialists are embedded within the teams that deliver our national air traffic
services. They support the development of the technology that enables us to manage one of the
most crowded areas of airspace in the world, whilst maintaining an exemplary safety record.
New sensor and communications technologies have led to advanced glass cockpits in military
and civilian aircraft; ergonomics and human factors ensures that these advances are
implemented in a way that enables the human pilot to remain ‘in the loop’ when controlling
the aircraft, as well as taking advantage of the accurate sensing and visualisation tools provided
by engineering innovations. And, as passengers, we are now helped to evacuate safely from
aircraft through designs of interior lights and safety information, informed by ergonomics
research.
For many years, the high-hazard industries have recognized the importance of minimising the
risk from human error. The nuclear sector has led the way in understanding, measuring and
improving human reliability, and it has an enviable reputation, having avoided the major
accidents which have marred other industry sectors, such as the Buncefield oil depot
explosion. UK nuclear regulation is seen by many as the gold-standard. In healthcare,
ergonomists and human factors professionals are working in partnership with clinicians,

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MSSW
managers and IT specialists to ensure a safe and resilient 21st century healthcare system. Much
focus has been placed on improving communications between clinicians, ensuring that teams
of doctors and nurses work together to make effective decisions and reduce the likelihood of
harm. In addition to this important work, many pieces of equipment that we find in a clinical
setting, from ambulances, to drips that deliver life-saving drugs, have been developed and
evaluated by human factors experts.
Our multidisciplinary perspective allows us to transfer our knowledge between applications,
for example, ergonomists working with Great Ormond Street Hospital have studied Formula 1
pitstops in order to understand methods and efficiencies in teamwork for application in
paediatric heart surgery.
According to Ergonomics.org,

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MHRM-14-06
MSSW
ERGONOMICS...
The term "ergonomics" is derived from two Greek words: "ergon," meaning work, and
"nomoi," meaning natural laws. Ergonomists study human capabilities in relationship to work
demands.
POSTURE...
In recent years, ergonomists have attempted to define postures which minimize unnecessary
static work and reduce the forces acting on the body. All of us could significantly reduce our
risk of injury if we could adhere to the following ergonomic principles:
 All work activities should permit the worker to adopt several different, but equally
healthy and safe postures.
 Where muscular force has to be exerted it should be done by the largest appropriate
muscle groups available.
 Work activities should be performed with the joints at about mid-point of their range of
movement. This applies particularly to the head, trunk, and upper limbs.
THE PROBLEM...
Here, however, we arrive at a problem - and a serious challenge to conventional
ergonomic thinking: In order to put these recommendations into practice, a person would have
to be a skilled observer of his or her own joint and muscle functioning and would have to be
able to change his or her posture to a healthier one at will. No one develops this sort of highly
refined sensory awareness without special training. Therefore, in order to derive the benefits
of ergonomic research, we must learn how to observe our bodies in a new way.*
Any attempt to improve workplace conditions can have only limited success if this issue is
ignored.
A SOLUTION...
One training program that cultivates precisely these skills is the Alexander Technique.
It has a long history of helping people develop the subtle coordination of thought and physical
action required to monitor and alter harmful patterns of posture and movement. In short, it
enables its students to put ergonomic principles into practice, and thus helps them reduce their
risk of developing a repetitive strain injury and other stress-related injuries. For example,
a comprehensive study published by the British Medical Journal in 2008 offers overwhelming
evidence that the Alexander Technique is a very effective way of alleviating backpain.
The Alexander Technique was developed in the early 20th century before ergonomics
became a recognized science and has been applied since then by people all ages and

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MSSW
professions. The Technique can be described as a simple and practical educational method
which alerts people to ways in which they are misusing their bodies, and how their everyday
habits of work may be harming them. It teaches people how to avoid work habits which create
excessive amounts of static work and how to reduce the amount of unnecessary muscular force
they are applying to their bodies. Stated another way, the Technique teaches the use of the
appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity.
Benefits of a Workplace Ergonomics Process
Here are five of the proven benefits of a strong workplace ergonomics process:
1. Ergonomics reduces costs. By systematically reducing ergonomic risk factors, you can
prevent costly MSDs. With approximately $1 out of every $3 in workers compensation costs
attributed to MSDs, this represents an opportunity for significant cost savings. Also, don’t
forget that indirect costs can be up to twenty times the direct cost of an injury.
2. Ergonomics improves productivity. The best ergonomic solutions will often improve
productivity. By designing a job to allow for good posture, less exertion, fewer motions and
better heights and reaches, the workstation becomes more efficient.
3. Ergonomics improves quality. Poor ergonomics leads to frustrated and fatigued workers
that don’t do their best work. When the job task is too physically taxing on the worker, they
may not perform their job like they were trained. For example, an employee might not fasten a
screw tight enough due to a high force requirement which could create a product quality issue.
4. Ergonomics improves employee engagement. Employees notice when the company is
putting forth their best efforts to ensure their health and safety. If an employee does not
experience fatigue and discomfort during their workday, it can reduce turnover, decrease
absenteeism, improve morale and increase employee involvement.
5. Ergonomics creates a better safety culture. Ergonomics shows your company’s
commitment to safety and health as a core value. The cumulative effect of the previous four
benefits of ergonomics is a stronger safety culture for your company. Healthy employees are
your most valuable asset; creating and fostering the safety & health culture at your company
will lead to better human performance for your organization.
Workplace Ergonomics – Is it worth the cost?
So is an ergonomics process worth the cost? Yes, absolutely! Not only is ergonomics
good for your business, it’s great for your people. As health & safety professionals, we need to
be able to demonstrate the value of ergonomics to get buy-in for the process.

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Good managers consider the following when making decisions:
 Will this increase our revenues?
 Will this decrease our costs?
 Is this the right thing to do?
When considering a workplace ergonomics process, you can answer with an emphatic “YES!”
to all three of these questions.
Article Review:
The article gives us a good picture of the basics of ergonomics in a way which can be
easily understood by a layman. It starts by explaining the term ERGONOMICS coined from a
Greek words ‘ERGON’ meaning ‘Work’ and “NOMOS’ meaning ‘Rules’. And then, it
explains the meaning and need for ergonomics in very simple lines ‘fitting the work to the man’
and ‘motivating the man at work by improving working conditions’.
It continues by explaining the disciplines and history of ergonomics. It goes further into
the topic and explains how the Human Characteristics like health, physique, age, etc should be
kept in mind for designing a work place. In the similar way, it also describes about work,
working conditions, working environment, should be kept in mind a good ergonomically
designed workplace.
The article then lists down the various technical requirements and operating conditions.
This information can be very useful for anyone who designs a workplace.
Pros of the Article:
1. Simple and brief.
2. Gives and overall picture of ergonomics.
3. Useful information for the current workplaces across the globe.
What could have been included in the article?
The best workplaces across the globe which gives importance to ergonomics, could
have been included and their methods could have been explained to get a practical
understanding of how organizations work to improving working conditions.

8. ERGONOMICS- CHANGING DYNAMICS OF WORKPLACE
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Balachandiran B
MHRM-14-06
MSSW
References:
http://www.ergonomics.org/
http://www.ergonomics.org.uk/
http://ergo-plus.com/workplace-ergonomics-benefits/