Ergonomics is the science of designing jobs, equipment, and workplaces to fit the worker, optimizing human well-being and system performance. It encompasses physical, cognitive, and organizational ergonomics, addressing factors that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by improper work conditions. Implementing ergonomic solutions not only enhances worker comfort and productivity but also reduces workplace injuries and associated costs.

1. ERGONOMICS

2. Introduction
• The term ergonomics is derived from the Greek words ergon [work]
and nomos [natural laws].
• Ergonomics is concerned with the ‘fit’ between people and their work.
• It takes account of the worker's capabilities and limitations in seeking
to ensure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment suit
each worker.
• Ergonomics is the science of designing the job, equipment, and
workplace to fit the worker.

3. Definition
• “Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the
fundamental 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 optimise human
well-being and overall system performance” (International
Ergonomics Association (IEA), 2000).
• Ergonomics is designing a job to fit the worker so the work is safer
and more efficient.
• Implementing ergonomic solutions can make employees more
comfortable and increase productivity.

4. History of ergonomics
In ancient societies
• The foundations of the science of ergonomics appear to have been laid
within the context of the culture of Ancient Greece.
• A good deal of evidence indicates that Greek civilization in the 5th
century BC used ergonomic principles in the design of their tools,
jobs, and workplaces.
• One outstanding example of this can be found in the description
Hippocrates gave of how a surgeon's workplace should be designed
and how the tools he uses should be arranged.
• The archaeological record also shows that the early Egyptian dynasties
made tools and household equipment that illustrated ergonomic
principles.

5. Importance of ergonomics
• Ergonomics is important because when you’re doing a job and your
body is stressed by an awkward posture, extreme temperature, or
repeated movement your musculoskeletal system is affected.
• Your body may begin to have symptoms such as fatigue, discomfort,
and pain, which can be the first signs of a musculoskeletal disorder.

6. Types
• The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) divides ergonomics
broadly into three domains:
Physical ergonomics
Cognitive ergonomics
Organisational ergonomics

7. Physical ergonomics
• 1.Physical ergonomics is concerned with human anatomical,
anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as
they relate to physical activity. (Relevant topics include working
postures, materials handling, repetitive movements, work related
musculoskeletal disorders, workplace layout, safety and health.)
• 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. (Relevant
topics include mental workload, +decision-making, skilled
performance, human-computer interaction, human reliability, work
stress and training as these may relate to human-system design.)

8. • 3.Organizational ergonomics: is concerned with the optimization of
socio technical systems, including their organizational structures,
policies, and processes.(Relevant topics include communication, crew
resource management, work design, design of working times,
teamwork, participatory design, community ergonomics, cooperative
work, new work programs, virtual organizations, telework, and quality
management.

9. Ergonomics Information and Resources
• Direct costs are those directly associated with the claim and
include:
Medical treatment
Prescription costs
Insurance premiums

10. • Indirect costs associated with the injury can include:
Overtime due to staff coverage during absence of injured worker
Accommodation for modified duty
Increased absenteeism
Decreased morale
Legal and investigation costs
Presenteeism: when an employee comes back to work too early
and is less productive than in a healthy state
Replacement worker costs
Advertising and recruiting if employee doesn’t return to work
Orientation and training costs

11. Elements in occupational ergonomics
• When analysing work and how it can be improved from an
ergonomics point of view there are five basic elements that need to be
addressed:
1. Worker:
The human element of the workplace A range of characteristics
need to be considered: age; health; residual disabilities; physical and
mental capacities; experience and skills; education and training.

12. 2. Job/task design: What the employee is required to do, and what
they actually do This includes job content, work demands, time
requirements such as deadlines, individual’s control over workload
including decision latitude, working relationships with other employees,
and responsibilities of the job, tools and equipment.
3. Equipment design: Work stations, tools and equipment The
design, positioning and use of workstations, electronic and mobile
equipment, machinery and tools, and protective clothing.
4. Workplace design: Overall work environment The buildings, work
areas and spaces; lighting, noise, thermal environment; and positioning
of interactive work areas.

13. • 5. Work organisation: The broader context of the organisation and
the work and how this affects individuals It includes patterns of
work, peaks and troughs in workload, shift-work, consultation,
inefficiencies or organisational difficulties, rest and work breaks,
teamwork, how the work is organised and why, the workplace culture,
as well as the broader economic and social influences.
• Although each section can be evaluated on its own, it is the
combination of all five elements which is the key issue.
• It is therefore necessary to asses the inter-dependence of all interacting
sub-sections within the overall situation Individual and work factors
that are likely to modify the risks to health and well-being include:

14. Worker capabilities and limitations
• 1. Training for the task
• 2. Skills and experience
• 3. Physical capabilities
• 4. Age
• 5. Special needs including recurring disability

15. Task design
2. Work postures such as:
overhead stretching
stooping, forward
reaching
kneeling or crouching
asymmetrical activities
3. Mental demands:
understanding of, and
training in new
technology
work responsibilities
work demands and job
decision latitude
1. Task demands
including:
work intensity
duration of task
peak and cumulative
loading especially
repetitive work
length of working day

16. Workplace Design –Equipment design
• 1. Work postures and movements determined by equipment design and
location, or by workplace layout
• 2. Information displays and controls such as dials, screens, levers,
knobs and switches
• 3. Design, selection and maintenance of tools
• 4. Access to machinery and parts (for workers and maintenance
personnel)
• 5. Working conditions such as slippery walking surfaces, unguarded
machinery, working at height without barriers or a safety harness

17. Workplace design – Work environment
• 1. Space, access and workplace layout
• 2. Visibility in general and specifically for tasks
• 3. Noise
• 4. Environmental conditions (especially work in hot, humid, dusty or
dirty environments)

18. Work organisation
• 1. Shift work organisation
• 2. Control over work processes
• 3. Job demands (physical or mental):
qualitative (difficulty)
quantitative (amount)
• 4. Task diversity and worker
stimulation
• 5. Job training
• 6. Adequate work review
• 7. Communication, discussion and
feedback
• 8. Recognition of effort
• Ergonomics can play a major role in stopping or reversing any negative
impact of potential problems.Addressing these factors should reduce the
risk of human error and of excessive physical or mental work demands
that can result in acute or chronic injury or illness.

19. Ergonomic solutions
• Physical ergonomics is important in the medical field, particularly to
those diagnosed with physiological ailments or disorders such as
arthritis (both chronic and temporary) or carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Pressure that is insignificant or imperceptible to those unaffected by
these disorders may be very painful, or render a device unusable, for
those who are. Many ergonomically designed products are also used or
recommended to treat or prevent such disorders, and to treat pressure-
related chronic pain.

20. • Human factors issues arise in simple systems and consumer products
as well.
• Some examples include cellular telephones and other handheld
devices that continue to shrink yet grow more complex (a
phenomenon referred to as "creeping featurism"), millions of VCRs
blinking "12:00" across the world because very few people can figure
out how to program them, or alarm clocks that allow sleepy users to
inadvertently turn off the alarm when they mean to hit 'snooze’.
• A user-centered design (UCD), also known as a systems approach or
the usability engineering lifecycle aims to improve the user-system.

21. •Workplaces may either take the reactive or proactive approach
when applying ergonomics practices. Reactive ergonomics is when
something needs to be fixed, and corrective action is taken.
•Proactive ergonomics is the process of seeking areas that could be
improved and fixing the issues before they become a large problem.
•Problems may be fixed through equipment design, task design, or
environmental design.
•Ergonomics in the workplace has to do largely with the safety of
employees, both long and short-term.

22. •Ergonomics can help reduce costs by improving
safety. This would decrease the money paid out in
workers’ compensation.
•For example, over five million workers sustain over
extension injuries per year.
•Through ergonomics, workplaces can be designed so
that workers do not have to overextend themselves and
the manufacturing industry could save billions in
workers’ compensation.

23. A Process for Protecting Workers
• Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful
workplace for their workers.
• In the workplace, the number and severity of MSDs resulting from
physical overexertion, and their associated costs, can be substantially
reduced by applying ergonomic principals.
• Implementing an ergonomic process is effective in reducing the risk of
developing MSDs in high-risk industries as diverse as construction,
food processing, firefighting, office jobs, healthcare, transportation
and warehousing.

24. The following are important elements of an
ergonomic process:
 Provide Management Support - A strong commitment by
management is critical to the overall success of an ergonomic process.
Management should define clear goals and objectives for the
ergonomic process, discuss them with their workers, assign
responsibilities to designated staff members, and communicate clearly
with the workforce.

25.  Involve Workers - A participatory ergonomic approach, where workers are
directly involved in worksite assessments, solution development and
implementation is the essence of a successful ergonomic process. Workers
can:
o Identify and provide important information about hazards in their
workplaces.
o Assist in the ergonomic process by voicing their concerns and suggestions
for reducing exposure to risk factors and by evaluating the changes made as
a result of an ergonomic assessment.

26.  Provide Training - Training is an important element in the ergonomic
process. It ensures that workers are aware of ergonomics and its benefits,
become informed about ergonomics related concerns in the workplace,
and understand the importance of reporting early symptoms of MSDs.
 Identify Problems - An important step in the ergonomic process is to
identify and assess ergonomic problems in the workplace before they
result in MSDs.
 Encourage Early Reporting of MSD Symptoms - Early reporting can
accelerate the job assessment and improvement process, helping to
prevent or reduce the progression of symptoms, the development of
serious injuries, and subsequent lost-time claims.

27.  Implement Solutions of control Hazards- There are many possible
solutions that can be implemented to reduce, control or eliminate
workplace MSDs.
• Evaluate Progress - Established evaluation and corrective action
procedures are required to periodically assess the effectiveness of the
ergonomic process and to ensure its continuous improvement and
long-term success.
• As an ergonomic process is first developing, assessments should
include determining whether goals set for the ergonomic process have
been met and determining the success of the implemented ergonomic
solutions.

28. Organizations for ergonomics
• Formed in 1946 in the UK, the oldest professional body for human
factors specialists and ergonomists is
The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, formally
known as The Ergonomics Society.
• The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) was founded in
1957.
• The Society's mission is to promote the discovery and exchange of
knowledge concerning the characteristics of human beings that are
applicable to the design of systems and devices of all kinds.

29. • The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) is a federation of
ergonomics and human factors societies from around the world.
• The mission of the IEA is to elaborate and advance ergonomics
science and practice, and to improve the quality of life by expanding
its scope of application and contribution to society.
• As of September 2008, the International Ergonomics Association has
46 federated societies and 2 affiliated societies.

30. Related organizations
• The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) was founded by the coal
industry in 1969.
• From the outset the IOM employed an ergonomics staff to apply
ergonomics principles to the design of mining machinery and
environments.
• To this day, the IOM continues ergonomics activities, especially in the
fields of musculoskeletal disorders; heat stress and the ergonomics of
personal protective equipment (PPE). Like many in occupational
ergonomics, the demands and requirements of an ageing UK workforce
are a growing concern and interest to IOM ergonomists.

31. • The International Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is a
professional organization for mobility engineering professionals in the
aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries.
• The Society is a standards development organization for the
engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks,
boats, aircraft, and others.
• The Society of Automotive Engineers has established a number of
standards used in the automotive industry and elsewhere.

32. • It encourages the design of vehicles in accordance with established
Human Factors principles. It is one of the most influential
organizations with respect to Ergonomics work in Automotive design.
• This society regularly holds conferences which address topics
spanning all aspects of Human Factors/Ergonomics.[citation needed]

33. Practitioners
• Human factors practitioners come from a variety of backgrounds,
though predominantly they are psychologists (from the various
subfields of industrial and organizational psychology,
engineering psychology, cognitive psychology, perceptual psychology
, applied psychology, and experimental psychology) and physiologists.
• Designers (industrial, interaction, and graphic), anthropologists,
technical communication scholars and computer scientists also
contribute.

34. • Typically, an ergonomist will have an undergraduate degree in
psychology, engineering, design or health sciences, and usually a
masters degree or doctoral degree in a related discipline.
• Though some practitioners enter the field of human factors from other
disciplines, both M.S. and PhD degrees in Human Factors Engineering
are available from several universities worldwide.

35. Solutions to Control Hazards

36. • Many industries have successfully implemented ergonomic solutions
in their facilities as a way to address their workers' MSD injury risks.
• These interventions have included modifying existing equipment,
making changes in work practices and purchasing new tools or other
devices to assist in the production process.
• Making these changes has reduced physical demands, eliminated
unnecessary movements, lowered injury rates and their associated
workers' compensation costs, and reduced employee turnover.

37. • In many cases, work efficiency and productivity have increased as
well.
• Simple, low-cost solutions are often available to solve problems. Use
the information on this page to see what has worked for others in your
industry or in other industries.

38.  Overview of Controls for MSD Hazards
 Success Stories
 Resources
General
Guidelines
Industry or Task-Specific Solutions

39. OSHA Guidelines for Ergonomics
• OSHA has developed industry- or task-specific guidelines for a
number of industries based on current incidence rates and available
information about effective and feasible solutions
• OSHA is conducting inspections for ergonomic hazards and issues
citations under the General Duty Clause and issues alert letters where
appropriate
• OSHA is providing assistance to business to help them proactively
address ergonomic issues in the workplace

40. • OSHA has chartered an advisory committee to identify gaps in
research and application of ergonomics and ergonomic principles in
the workplace
• OSHA does not have regulations to address ergonomics, only
Recommendations and Guidelines

41. Risk reduction techniques
• Job rotation
• Cross train workers so they can rotate jobs throughout the day.
• Change tasks often within your own job (Example: type for an
hour and then file for an hour).
• Job hazard analysis
• Break each job up into smaller or different tasks.
• Determine the risk factors for each task.
• Determine how each task affects risk factors for the total job.

42. • Select appropriate tools
• By attaching a handle extension, bending can be eliminated from
many jobs.
• Participatory ergonomics
• Enlist workers to brainstorm better ways to do their work.
• Have trained workers teach new staff.
• Ergonomics training
• Educate staff on the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, and
how ergonomics can make their work easier, more efficient, and
safer.
• Train staff to identify job tasks that may present a risk and
determine better ways to complete those tasks.

43. Comprehensive ergonomics program
• A comprehensive ergonomics program can save your company money.
It must include several elements.
• Worker involvement – workers must be involved in all aspects of
the ergonomics program.
• Management commitment – leaders must make employee health
and safety a priority.
• Training – employees need to be trained to understand
ergonomics — why it’s important and what is expected of them.

44. • Sustainability – your program should become part of your safety
committee/safety meetings.
• Evaluation – maintain company statistics on annual MDS claims,
direct and indirect costs, and number and outcomes of completed
job analysis. This will help build your case when you present an
issue to management and staff.

45. OSHA Efforts in Ergonomics
• In 1996, OSHA developed a strategy to address ergonomics through a
four-pronged program including training, education, and outreach
activities; study and analysis of the work-related hazards that lead to
MSDs; enforcement; and rulemaking.
• 1. Training, Education, and Outreach
• a. Training. The OSHA ergonomics web page has been an important
part of the Agency's education and outreach effort. Other OSHA
efforts in training, education and outreach include the following:
 Grants to train workers and employees about hazards and hazard
abatement;

46.  Training courses in ergonomics;
 One day training for nursing home operators in each of five targeted
states;
 Booklets on ergonomics, ergonomics programs, and computer
workstations; and
 Videotapes on ergonomics programs in general industry and
specifically in nursing homes.

47. • OSHA has awarded almost $3 million for 25 grants addressing
ergonomics, including lifting hazards in healthcare facilities and
hazards in the red meat and poultry industries. These grants have
enabled workers and employers to identify ergonomic hazards and
implement workplace changes to abate the hazards.

48. • b. Education and Outreach. To provide a forum to discuss
ergonomic programs and to augment information in the literature with
the experience of companies of different sizes and from a variety of
industries, OSHA and NIOSH sponsored the first in a series of
conferences that brought industry, labor, researchers, and consultants
together to discuss what works in reducing MSDs. The 1997 OSHA
and NIOSH conference was followed by 11 more regional conferences
across the country. OSHA and NIOSH held the second national
conference on ergonomics in March of 1999. More than 200
presentations were given at the conferences on how companies have
successfully reduced MSDs. Presentations were made by personnel
from large and small companies in many different industries.

49. • Other examples of successful ergonomics programs have come from
OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The VPP program was
established by OSHA to recognize employers whose organizations
have exemplary workplace safety health programs. Several sites that
have been accepted into VPP have excellent ergonomics programs.

50. Advantages of ergonomics
• 1. Increased savings
• • Fewer injuries
• • More productive and sustainable employees
• • Fewer workers’ compensation claims
• – The average direct cost of a workers compensation claim for an
MSD is $14,120 (Oregon OSHA 2007)
• – The indirect costs involved bring the total average claim cost to
well over $32,000

51. 2. Fewer employees experiencing pain
• Implementing ergonomic improvements can reduce the risk factors
that lead to discomfort.
3. Increased productivity
• Ergonomic improvements can reduce the primary risk factors for
MSDs, so workers are more efficient, productive, and have greater job
satisfaction.

52. 4. Increased morale
• Attention to ergonomics can make employees feel valued because
they know their employer is making their workplace safer.
5. Reduced absenteeism
• Ergonomics leads to healthy and pain-free workers who are more
likely to be engaged and productive.

53. Disadvantages
 Cost effective
 Customarization

54. Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the
Workplace
• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect the muscles, nerves, blood
vessels, ligaments and tendons.
• Workers in many different industries and occupations can be exposed
to risk factors at work, such as lifting heavy items, bending, reaching
overhead, pushing and pulling heavy loads, working in awkward body
postures and performing the same or similar tasks repetitively.

55. • Exposure to these known risk factors for MSDs increases a worker's
risk of injury.
• Work-related MSDs can be prevented.
• Ergonomics --- fitting a job to a person --- helps lessen muscle fatigue,
increases productivity and reduces the number and severity of work-
related MSDs.

56. Examples of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
 Carpal tunnel syndrome
 Tendinitis
 Rotator cuff injuries (affects the shoulder)
 Epicondylitis (affects the elbow)
 Trigger finger
• Muscle strains and low back injuries

57. Impact of MSDs in the Workplace
 Work related MSDs are among the most frequently reported causes of
lost or restricted work time.
• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2013,
MSD1
cases accounted for 33% of all worker injury and illness cases.

58. High risk occupations for MSDs
Registered nurses, nursing assistants and psychiatric aides
Firefighters and prevention workers
Laborers and freight, stock and material movers
Janitors and cleaners
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Refuse and recyclable material collectors
Stock clerks and order fillers

59. Telecommunications line installers and repairers
Bus drivers, transit and intercity
Production workers
Police and sheriff patrol officers
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
Maintenance and repair workers, general

60. Problems faced duding ergonomics
• Checking for human factors problems is part of your
normal risk assessment process.
• The first step in a risk assessment is to identify the
hazards.
• This can be done by talking to employees and seeking
their views, walking around your workplace to see if you
can spot any hazards, and reviewing any accidents or
reports of ill health you have had in the past.
• You may find useful information about common
ergonomics problems in your industry on HSE’s website.

61. Talking to employees
• Workplaces where employees are involved in taking decisions about
health and safety are safer and healthier. Collaboration with your
employees helps you to manage health and safety in a practical way
by:
-helping you spot workplace risks;
-making sure health and safety controls are practical.
-increasing the level of commitment to working in a safe and
healthy way.

62. • You are legally required to consult all your employees, in
good time, on health and safety matters.
• In workplaces where a trade union is recognised, this will
be through union health and safety representatives. In
non-unionised workplaces, you can consult either directly
or through other elected representatives.
• Consultation involves employers not only giving
information to employees but also listening to them and
taking account of what they say before making health
and safety decisions.
• Employees have important knowledge of the work they
do, problems they have, and their impact on health,
safety, and performance.

63. • While talking to them, you could also ask them some specific
questions about their work such as:
are their working postures comfortable (or not)?
do they experience discomfort, aches, pain, fatigue, or feel unable
to keep up with the flow of work?
is the equipment appropriate, easy to use and well maintained?
is the person satisfied with their working arrangements?
do they make the same errors and mistakes repeatedly?
are they following procedures, and if not, why not?

64. Hazard spotting
• While you walk around your workplace, look for signs of poor or
inadequate equipment design such as:
• improvised tools;
• handwritten reminders, or handwritten labels on machinery controls;
• plasters on workers’ fingers or ‘home-made’ protective pads made of
tissue or foam.

65. Review
• Review information you may already have about accidents and ill
health which may result from human factors problems:
• Look at the circumstances that lead to frequent errors or incidents.
Identify the root causes of people’s mistakes. Use accident reports to
identify details of incidents and their possible causes.
• Record and look at sickness absence and staff turnover levels. High
numbers may be because of the problems listed earlier and/or
dissatisfaction at work.

66. Possible solutions
• Look for likely causes and consider possible solutions. A minor
alteration may be all that is needed to make a task easier and safer to
perform. For example:
arrange items stored on shelving so those used most frequently and
those that are the heaviest are between waist and shoulder height;
raise platforms to help operators reach badly located controls (or
alternatively relocate the controls);
remove obstacles from under desks so there is enough leg room;

67. provide height-adjustable chairs, so individual operators can work at
their preferred work height;
change shift work patterns;
introduce job rotation between different tasks to reduce physical and
mental fatigue.

68. Five key points to remember
Ergonomics can help you on your job
WMSDs can happen in jobs with risk factors
Risk factors can be reduced and WMSDs prevented
Reporting signs and symptoms early is important
You can help your company put ergonomics changes into place

69. Ergonomics for women
• Awkward posture
• High force
• No rest
• Repetitive work
• Maternal health
• Legal rights

70. Advantages of ergonomics
1. Increased savings
• Fewer injuries
• More productive and sustainable employees
• Fewer workers’ compensation claims
– The average direct cost of a workers compensation claim for an
MSD is $14,120 (Oregon OSHA 2007)
– The indirect costs involved bring the total average claim cost to
well over $32,000

71. 2. Fewer employees experiencing pain
• Implementing ergonomic improvements can reduce the risk factors
that lead to discomfort.
3. Increased productivity
• Ergonomic improvements can reduce the primary risk factors for
MSDs, so workers are more efficient, productive, and have greater
job satisfaction.
4. Increased morale
• Attention to ergonomics can make employees feel valued because
they know their employer is making their workplace safer.

72. 5. Reduced absenteeism
• Ergonomics leads to healthy and pain-free workers who are more
likely to be engaged and productive.

73. Disadvantages
 Cost effective
 Customarization

74. Barriers
Staff isn’t interested in learning a better way to do things
Management isn’t interested in staff comfort or safety
It costs money

75. Summary and conclusion
• Ergonomics in the workplace has to do largely with the safety of
employees, both long and short-term. Ergonomics can help reduce
costs by improving safety. This would decrease the money paid out in
workers’ compensation.
• Theory Application: General system theory

76. THANK YOU