1.

Introduction
1.1 What is ergonomics?
- According to “International Ergonomics Association (IEA)” in 2000:
“The scientific discipline concerned with understanding of interactions among humans
and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles,
methods and data to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system
performance”.
- Ergonomics means “fitting the job to the worker”
- From the Greek: Ergo = Work , Nomos = Laws
- Or in a simple way, we could define ergonomics as:
 Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products
and systems so that they fit the people who use them.
 Ergonomics (or ‘human factors’ as it is referred to in North America) is a
branch of science that aims to learn about human abilities and limitations,
and then apply this learning to improve people’s interaction with products,
systems and environments.
 Ergonomics aims to improve workspaces and environments to minimise
risk of injury or harm. So as technologies change, so too does the need to
ensure that the tools we access for work, rest and play are designed for our
body’s requirements.
1.2 Why is ergonomics important?
- In the workplace: According to Safe Work Australia, the total economic cost of
work-related injuries and illnesses is estimated to be $60 billion dollars. Recent
research has shown that lower back pain is the world’s most common work-related
disability – affecting employees from offices, building sites and in the highest risk
category, agriculture.
- Ergonomics aims to create safe, comfortable and productive workspaces by
bringing human abilities and limitations into the design of a workspace, including
the individual’s body size, strength, skill, speed, sensory abilities (vision, hearing),
and even attitudes.
- In the greater population: The number of people in Australia aged 75 and over is
forecast to double over the next 50 years. With this, equipment, services and
systems will need to be designed to accommodate the increasing needs of the
ageing population, applying to public transport, building facilities, and living
spaces.
- So sum up, Benefits of Ergonomics are:
 Lower costs
 Higher productivity
 Better product quality
 Improved employee engagement
 Better safety culture
 The ergonomics improvement process systematically identifies ergonomic
hazards and puts in place engineering and administrative control measures
to quantifiably reduce risk factors.
adv
2. Content of ergonomics
2.1 Goals of ergonomics

- It will be clear already that the benefits of ergonomics can appear in many
different forms, in productivity and quality, in safety and health, in reliability, in
job satisfaction and in personal development.

- The reason for this breadth of scope is that its basic aim is efficiency in purposeful
activity—efficiency in the widest sense of achieving the desired result without
wasteful input, without error and without damage to the person involved or to
others. It is not efficient to expend unnecessary energy or time because insufficient
thought has been given to the design of the work, the workspace, the working
environment and the working conditions. It is not efficient to achieve the desired
result in spite of the situation design rather than with support from it.

- The aim of ergonomics is to ensure that the working situation is in harmony with
the activities of the worker. This aim is self-evidently valid but attaining it is far
from easy for a variety of reasons. The human operator is flexible and adaptable
and there is continuous learning, but there are quite large individual differences.
Some differences, such as physical size and strength, are obvious, but others, such
 as cultural differences and differences in style and in level of skill, are less easy to
identify.

- In view of these complexities it might seem that the solution is to provide a

flexible situation where the human operator can optimize a specifically appropriate
way of doing things. Unfortunately such an approach is sometimes impracticable
because the more efficient way is often not obvious, with the result that a worker
can go on doing something the wrong way or in the wrong conditions for years.

- Thus it is necessary to adopt a systematic approach: to start from a sound theory,

to set measurable objectives and to check success against these objectives. The
various possible objectives are considered below:

 Safety and health:

There can be no disagreement about the desirability of safety and health objectives.
The difficulty stems from the fact that neither is directly measurable: their
achievement is assessed by their absence rather than their presence. The data in
question always pertain to departures from safety and health.
In the case of health, much of the evidence is long-term as it is based on populations
rather than individuals. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain careful records over
long periods and to adopt an epidemiological approach through which risk factors
can be identified and measured. For example, what should be the maximum hours
per day or per year required of a worker at a computer workstation? It depends on
the design of the workstation, the kind of work and the kind of person (age, vision,
abilities and so on). The effects on health can be diverse, from wrist problems to
mental apathy, so it is necessary to carry out comprehensive studies covering quite
large populations while simultaneously keeping track of differences within the
populations.
Safety is more directly measurable in a negative sense in terms of kinds and
frequencies of accidents and damage. There are problems in defining different kinds
of accidents and identifying the often multiple causal factors and there is often a
distant relationship between the kind of accident and the degree of harm, from none
to fatality.
Nevertheless, an enormous body of evidence concerning safety and health has been
accumulated over the past fifty years and consistencies have been discovered which
can be related back to theory, to laws and standards and to principles operative in
particular kinds of situations.

 Productivity and efficiency

 Productivity is usually defined in terms of output per unit of time, whereas
efficiency incorporates other variables, particularly the ratio of output to input.
Efficiency incorporates the cost of what is done in relation to achievement, and in
human terms this requires the consideration of the penalties to the human operator.
In industrial situations, productivity is relatively easy to measure: the amount
produced can be counted and the time taken to produce it is simple to record.
Productivity data are often used in before/after comparisons of working methods,
situations or conditions. It involves assumptions about equivalence of effort and
other costs because it is based on the principle that the human operator will perform
as well as is feasible in the circumstances. If the productivity is higher then the
circumstances must be better. There is much to recommend this simple approach
provided that it is used with due regard to the many possible complicating factors
which can disguise what is really happening. The best safeguard is to try to make
sure that nothing has changed between the before and after situations except the
aspects being studied.
Efficiency is a more comprehensive but always a more difficult measure. It usually
has to be specifically defined for a particular situation and in assessing the results of
any studies the definition should be checked for its relevance and validity in terms
of the conclusions being drawn. For example, is bicycling more efficient than
walking? Bicycling is much more productive in terms of the distance that can be
covered on a road in a given time, and it is more efficient in terms of energy
expenditure per unit of distance or, for indoor exercise, because the apparatus
required is cheaper and simpler. On the other hand, the purpose of the exercise
might be energy expenditure for health reasons or to climb a mountain over difficult
terrain; in these circumstances walking will be more efficient. Thus, an efficiency
measure has meaning only in a well-defined context.

 Reliability and quality

As explained above, reliability rather than productivity becomes the key measure in
high technology systems (for instance, transport aircraft, oil refining and power
generation). The controllers of such systems monitor performance and make their
contribution to productivity and to safety by making tuning adjustments to ensure
that the automatic machines stay on line and function within limits. All these
systems are in their safest states either when they are quiescent or when they are
functioning steadily within the designed performance envelope. They become more
dangerous when moving or being moved between equilibrium states, for example,
when an aircraft is taking off or a process system is being shut down. High
reliability is the key characteristic not only for safety reasons but also because
unplanned shut-down or stoppage is extremely expensive. Reliability is
 straightforward to measure after performance but is extremely difficult to predict
except by reference to the past performance of similar systems. When or if
something goes wrong human error is invariably a contributing cause, but it is not
necessarily an error on the part of the controller: human errors can originate at the
design stage and during setting up and maintenance. It is now accepted that such
complex high-technology systems require a considerable and continuous
ergonomics input from design to the assessment of any failures that occur.
Quality is related to reliability but is very difficult if not impossible to measure.
Traditionally, in batch and flow production systems, quality has been checked by
inspection after output, but the current established principle is to combine
production and quality maintenance. Thus each operator has parallel responsibility
as an inspector. This usually proves to be more effective, but it may mean
abandoning work incentives based simply on rate of production. In ergonomic terms
it makes sense to treat the operator as a responsible person rather than as a kind of
robot programmed for repetitive performance.

 Job satisfaction and personal development

From the principle that the worker or human operator should be recognized as a
person and not a robot it follows that consideration should be given to
responsibilities, attitudes, beliefs and values. This is not easy because there are
many variables, mostly detectable but not quantifiable, and there are large
individual and cultural differences. Nevertheless a great deal of effort now goes into
the design and management of work with the aim of ensuring that the situation is as
satisfactory as is reasonably practicable from the operator’s viewpoint. Some
measurement is possible by using survey techniques and some principles are
available based on such working features as autonomy and empowerment.
Even accepting that these efforts take time and cost money, there can still be
considerable dividends from listening to the suggestions, opinions and attitudes of
the people actually doing the work. Their approach may not be the same as that of
the external work designer and not the same as the assumptions made by the work
designer or manager. These differences of view are important and can provide a
refreshing change in strategy on the part of everyone involved.
It is well established that the human being is a continuous learner or can be, given
the appropriate conditions. The key condition is to provide feedback about past and
present performance which can be used to improve future performance. Moreover,
such feedback itself acts as an incentive to performance. Thus everyone gains, the
performer and those responsible in a wider sense for the performance. It follows that
there is much to be gained from performance improvement, including self-
development. The principle that personal development should be an aspect of the
 application of ergonomics requires greater designer and manager skills but, if it can
be applied successfully, can improve all the aspects of human performance
discussed above.
Successful application of ergonomics often follows from doing no more than
developing the appropriate attitude or point of view. The people involved are
inevitably the central factor in any human effort and the systematic consideration of
their advantages, limitations, needs and aspirations is inherently important.

2.2 Process of ergonomics design

Identifying Potential Ergonomics Issues

- The first step of ergonomics risk management is to identify potential ergonomics

issues. These are tasks in which workers experience a combination of forceful
exertions, awkward working postures, and repetitive movements. Other issues that
can arise include contact stress, vibration exposure, and temperature extremes.

- Potential ergonomics issues can be identified by anyone in the workplace, from

workers doing the tasks, to supervisors familiar with the jobs in their area, to
health and safety professionals conducting inspections. Three basic activities are
helpful for ensuring that potential issues are recognized and communicated
appropriately for follow-up:

 Train workers, supervisors, and anyone else who has contact with the workplace to
recognize potential ergonomics issues and how to report them.

 Develop checklists of common ergonomic issues for use during activities such as
safety walks, ride-alongs, area inspections, and lean production activities such as
5S or 3P.

 Establish straightforward methods for reporting potential ergonomics issues—

multiple methods are recommended as communication preferences vary.

- A couple of advanced recognition activities, not recommended until your

ergonomics improvement process has resulted in sustained results and
demonstrated an impact, include:

 Systematically screen all jobs with a checklist of common ergonomics issues.

 Survey all workers to identify tasks that they find uncomfortable or demanding.
 - While it may seem intuitive that these advanced recognition activities are a good
idea, experience has shown that they can strain the resources of a developing
ergonomics improvement program and be counterproductive if done too early.
Start with the basic recognition activities and address the potential ergonomics
issues that they identify before launching advanced recognition activities that
require substantial resources and can produce an overwhelming number of
potential issues requiring follow-up.

Assess Risk: 

- Conducting an ergonomic assessment is a foundational element of the ergonomics

process. Your ergonomic improvement efforts will never get off the ground
without being able to effectively assess jobs in your workplace for musculoskeletal
disorder (MSD) risk factors.
Plan Improvements: 

- The core goal of the ergonomics process is to make changes to your workplace
that reduce risk. Making changes at scale requires a significant planning effort that
includes prioritizing jobs to be improved, identifying effective improvement ideas,
and cost-justifying the improvement projects.

Measure Progress:

-  Measurement is an important component of any successful continuous

improvement process. High performing ergonomics programs are constantly
measured using both leading and lagging indicators. This mean the improvement
in performance must be measurable to evaluate the gain of design.
 - Ergonomics improvements that require expenses over a certain threshold (which is
unique to each company) are often required to satisfy cost justification analyses.
The challenge is that, oftentimes, costs related to injuries, turnover, and worker
morale are not fully accounted for in the benefits analysis, so ergonomics
improvement projects are often not funded due to lack of cost justification. Some
companies address this by requiring a lower return-on-investment threshold for
ergonomics improvements, but in other companies, ergonomics is held to the same
threshold as other projects.

- The good news is that while ergonomics improvements are usually initiated to
reduce injuries and worker discomfort, they often improve productivity and quality
as well. If an ergonomics improvement reduces reaching or walking distances,
eliminates manual tasks, or allows a two-worker job to be performed by one
worker, productivity improvements can be quantified and may be sufficient to
justify the investment. Likewise, if quality issues are occurring, cost of quality can
be calculated and used as part of the investment justification. The specific methods
for quantifying the economic benefits of increased productivity and improved
quality are specific to each company. An example of an ergonomics improvement
project cost justification is summarized below.

Scale Solutions: By establishing a common set of tools to train your workforce, assess
risk, plan improvements, measure progress, and design new work processes, you’ll be
able to scale ergonomics best practices throughout your organization.
3. How does Ergonomic work?
3.1 Ergonomic and Anthropometry
Anthropometrics is the practice of taking measurements of the human body and provides
categorized data that can be used by designers.

Measuring for height

Anthropometrics help designers collect useful data, eg head circumferences when
designing a safety helmet. In this example, as there is a large variation in size, the
designer would need to build some adjustment into the safety helmet design.
Alarmed with the appliance of ergonomics to the human form and are used to justify the
user or target range for your product. Anthropometric data is presented within a table
design. It shows the average measurements of the human form

Ergonomics
Ergonomics can incorporate the use of anthropometric data when designing products to
improve the user experience. If a designer doesn’t use anthropometric data during the
design process, it can lead to a poor user experience that causes discomfort, pain and
potential injury. Ergonomics is a consideration that leads to a product being designed in a
way to make it easy to use. Size, weight, shape, position of buttons and controls are all
aspects that contribute to it being ergonomically designed. This is shown in practice in
the image below of a woman sitting at her desk:
A woman is sat at her desk, with the ergonomic considerations labelled around her, such
as adjustable armrests and backrest, feet flat on floor and keyboard at elbow height.

 table height makes it easy to reach the keyboard and mouse

 monitor height and angle of the monitor makes it easy for the user to see the
screen reducing the strain on the neck, eyes and back

 seat height is adjustable so it can be set at a comfortable height for the user

 the user can sit at a comfortable distance from the desk so they do not have stretch
to reach the keyboard and mouse

 position can be changed by adjusting the armrests and backrest - sitting in the
correct position will reduce the strain on the body and increase the view angle of
the screen

 Designers should use anthropometric data to help make sure a product will be
comfortable for the user. It is difficult to design a product that everyone will be
able to use with comfort, so products are often designed for the majority of the
population, considered to be between the 5th and 95th percentile:
  the 5th percentile are the 5 per cent of people who are smaller in size

 the 50th percentile are people of average size

 the 95th percentile are 5 per cent of people who are larger in size

Below is an example of a set of anthropometric data for adults:

Example

A designer is designing an emergency stop button for a machine, which must be able to
be pressed quickly and easily with the whole palm of the hand by the majority of the
population. Using the table above, what is the minimum size the emergency stop button
should be?

The handbreadth data from both tables provides the lowest 5th and highest 95th
percentile data. This is:
 lowest = 71 mm (female)
 highest = 98 mm (male)
Using this information, the size of the button should have a minimum width of 98 mm.
As the button will be larger than the female 5th percentile and equal to or larger than the
male 95th percentile it will be accessible for the majority of the population.
3.2 Ergonomic and Biomechanics
Biomechanics is a discipline that approaches the study of the body as though it were
solely a mechanical system: all parts of the body are likened to mechanical structures and
are studied as such. The following analogies may, for example, be drawn:

 bones: levers, structural members

 flesh: volumes and masses
 joints: bearing surfaces and articulations
 joint linings: lubricants
 muscles: motors, springs
 nerves: feedback control mechanisms
 organs: power supplies
 tendons: ropes
 tissue: springs
 body cavities: balloons.
 

The main aim of biomechanics is to study the way the body produces force and generates
movement. The discipline relies primarily on anatomy, mathematics and physics; related
disciplines are anthropometry (the study of human body measurements), work physiology
and kinesiology (the study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to
human movement).

In considering the occupational health of the worker, biomechanics helps to understand

why some tasks cause injury and ill health. Some relevant types of adverse health effect
are muscle strain, joint problems, back problems and fatigue.

Back strains and sprains and more serious problems involving the intervertebral discs are
common examples of workplace injuries that can be avoided. These often occur because
of a sudden particular overload, but may also reflect the exertion of excessive forces by
the body over many years: problems may occur suddenly or may take time to develop.
An example of a problem that develops over time is “seamstress’s finger”. A recent
description describes the hands of a woman who, after 28 years of work in a clothing
factory, as well as sewing in her spare time, developed hardened thickened skin and an
inability to flex her fingers (Poole 1993). (Specifically, she suffered from a flexion
deformity of the right index finger, prominent Heberden’s nodes on the index finger and
thumb of the right hand, and a prominent callosity on the right middle finger due to
constant friction from the scissors.) X-ray films of her hands showed severe degenerative
changes in the outermost joints of her right index and middle fingers, with loss of joint
space, articular sclerosis (hardening of tissue), osteophytes (bony growths at the joint)
and bone cysts.
Inspection at the workplace showed that these problems were due to repeated
hyperextension (bending up) of the outermost finger joint. Mechanical overload and
restriction in blood flow (visible as a whitening of the finger) would be maximal across
these joints. These problems developed in response to repeated muscle exertion in a site
other than the muscle.

Biomechanics helps to suggest ways of designing tasks to avoid these types of injuries or
of improving poorly designed tasks. Remedies for these particular problems are to
redesign the scissors and to alter the sewing tasks to remove the need for the actions
performed.

Two important principles of biomechanics are:

 Muscles come in pairs. Muscles can only contract, so for any joint there must be
one muscle (or muscle group) to move it one way and a corresponding muscle
(or muscle group) to move it in the opposite direction. Figure 1 illustrates the
point for the elbow joint.
 Muscles contract most efficiently when the muscle pair is in relaxed
balance. The muscle acts most efficiently when it is in the midrange of the joint
it flexes. This is so for two reasons: first, if the muscle tries to contract when it is
shortened, it will pull against the elongated opposing muscle. Because the latter
is stretched, it will apply an elastic counterforce that the contracting muscle must
overcome. Figure 2 shows the way in which muscle force varies with muscle
length.

 
 

Figure 1. Skeletal muscles occur in pairs in order to initiate or reverse a movement

Figure 2. Muscle tension varies with

Second, if the muscle tries to contract at other than the midrange of the movement of the
joint, it will operate at a mechanical disadvantage. Figure 3 illustrates the change in
mechanical advantage for the elbow in three different positions.

Figure 3. Optimal positions for joint movement

An important criterion for work design follows from these principles: Work should be
arranged so that it occurs with the opposing muscles of each joint in relaxed balance. For
most joints, this means that the joint should be at about its midrange of movement.

This rule also means that muscle tension will be at a minimum while a task is performed.
One example of the infringement of the rule is the overuse syndrome (RSI, or repetitive
strain injury) which affects the muscles of the top of the forearm in keyboard operators
who habitually operate with the wrist flexed up. Often this habit is forced on the operator
by the design of the keyboard and workstation.

The following are some examples illustrating the application of biomechanics.

The optimum diameter of tool handles

The diameter of a handle affects the force that the muscles of the hand can apply to a
tool. Research has shown that the optimum handle diameter depends on the use to which
the tool is put. For exerting thrust along the line of the handle, the best diameter is one
that allows the fingers and thumb to assume a slightly overlapping grip. This is about 40
mm. To exert torque, a diameter of about 50-65 mm is optimal. (Unfortunately, for both
purposes most handles are smaller than these values.)

The use of pliers

As a special case of a handle, the ability to exert force with pliers depends on the handle
separation, as shown in figure 4.

Figure 4. Grip strength of pliers jaws exerted by male and female users as a function of
handle separation

Seated posture

Electromyography is a technique that can be used to measure muscle tension. In a study

of the tension in the erector spinae muscles (of the back) of seated subjects, it was found
that leaning back (with the backrest inclined) reduced the tension in these muscles. The
effect can be explained because the backrest takes more of the weight of the upper body.

X-ray studies of subjects in a variety of postures showed that the position of relaxed
balance of the muscles that open and close the hip joint corresponds to a hip angle of
about 135º. This is close to the position (128º) naturally adopted by this joint in
weightless conditions (in space). In the seated posture, with an angle of 90º at the hip, the
hamstring muscles that run over both the knee and hip joints tend to pull the sacrum (the
part of the vertebral column that connects with the pelvis) into a vertical position. The
effect is to remove the natural lordosis (curvature) of the lumbar spine; chairs should
have appropriate backrests to correct for this effort.

Screwdriving
Why are screws inserted clockwise? The practice probably arose in unconscious
recognition that the muscles that rotate the right arm clockwise (most people are right-
handed) are larger (and therefore more powerful) that the muscles that rotate it
anticlockwise.

Note that left-handed people will be at a disadvantage when inserting screws by hand.
About 9% of the population are left-handed and will therefore require special tools in
some situations: scissors and can openers are two such examples.

A study of people using screwdrivers in an assembly task revealed a more subtle relation
between a particular movement and a particular health problem. It was found that the
greater the elbow angle (the straighter the arm), the more people had inflammation at the
elbow. The reason for this effect is that the muscle that rotates the forearm (the biceps)
also pulls the head of the radius (lower arm bone) onto the capitulum (rounded head) of
the humerus (upper arm bone). The increased force at the higher elbow angle caused
greater frictional force at the elbow, with consequent heating of the joint, leading to the
inflammation. At the higher angle, the muscle also had to pull with greater force to effect
the screwing action, so a greater force was applied than would have been required with
the elbow at about 90º. The solution was to move the task closer to the operators to
reduce the elbow angle to about 90º.

The cases above demonstrate that a proper understanding of anatomy is required for the
application of biomechanics in the workplace. Designers of tasks may need to consult
experts in functional anatomy to anticipate the types of problems discussed. (The Pocket
Ergonomist (Brown and Mitchell 1986) based on electromyographical research, suggests
many ways of reducing physical discomfort at work.)

Manual Material Handling

The term manual handling includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, moving,

holding and restraining, and encompasses a large part of the activities of working life.

Biomechanics has obvious direct relevance to manual handling work, since muscles must
move to carry out tasks. The question is: how much physical work can people be
reasonably expected to do? The answer depends on the circumstances; there are really
three questions that need to be asked. Each one has an answer that is based on
scientifically researched criteria:

 How much can be handled without damage to the body (in the form, for
example, of muscle strain, disc injury or joint problems)? This is called
the biomechanical criterion.
 How much can be handled without overexerting the lungs (breathing hard to the
point of panting)? This is called the physiological criterion.
  How much do people feel able to handle comfortably? This is called
the psychophysical criterion.

There is a need for these three different criteria because there are three broadly different
reactions that can occur to lifting tasks: if the work goes on all day, the concern will be
how the person feels about the task—the psychophysical criterion; if the force to be
applied is large, the concern would be that muscles and joints are not overloaded to the
point of damage—the biomechanical criterion; and if the rate of work is too great, then it
may well exceed the physiological criterion, or the aerobic capacity of the person.

Many factors determine the extent of the load placed on the body by a manual handling
task. All of them suggest opportunities for control.

Posture and Movements

If the task requires a person to twist or reach forward with a load, the risk of injury is
greater. The workstation can often be redesigned to prevent these actions. More back
injuries occur when the lift begins at ground level compared to mid-thigh level, and this
suggests simple control measures. (This applies to high lifting as well.)

The load.

The load itself may influence handling because of its weight and its location. Other
factors, such as its shape, its stability, its size and its slipperiness may all affect the ease
of a handling task.

Organization and environment.

The way work is organized, both physically and over time (temporally), also influences
handling. It is better to spread the burden of unloading a truck in a delivery bay over
several people for an hour rather than to ask one worker to spend all day on the task. The
environment influences handling—poor light, cluttered or uneven floors and poor
housekeeping may all cause a person to stumble.

Personal factors.

Personal handling skills, the age of the person and the clothing worn also can influence
handling requirements. Education for training and lifting are required both to provide
necessary information and to allow time for the development of the physical skills of
handling. Younger people are more at risk; on the other hand, older people have less
strength and less physiological capacity. Tight clothing can increase the muscle force
required in a task as people strain against the tight cloth; classic examples are the nurse’s
smock uniform and tight overalls when people do work above their heads.
Recommended Weight Limits

The points mentioned above indicate that it is impossible to state a weight that will be
“safe” in all circumstances. (Weight limits have tended to vary from country to country in
an arbitrary manner. Indian dockers, for example, were once “allowed” to lift 110 kg,
while their counterparts in the former People’s Democratic Republic of Germany were
“limited” to 32 kg.) Weight limits have also tended to be too great. The 55 kg suggested
in many countries is now thought to be far too great on the basis of recent scientific
evidence. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the
United States has adopted 23 kg as a load limit in 1991 (Waters et al. 1993).

Each lifting task needs to be assessed on its own merits. A useful approach to
determining a weight limit for a lifting task is the equation developed by NIOSH:

RWL = LC x HM x VM x DM x AM x CM x FM

Where

RWL = recommended weight limit for the task in question

HM = the horizontal distance from the centre of gravity of the load to the midpoint
between the ankles (minimum 15 cm, maximum 80 cm)

VM = the vertical distance between the centre of gravity of the load and the floor at the
start of the lift (maximum 175 cm)

DM = the vertical travel of the lift (minimum 25 cm, maximum 200 cm)

AM = asymmetry factor–the angle the task deviates from straight out in front of the body

CM = coupling multiplier–the ability to get a good grip on the item to be lifted, which is
found in a reference table

FM = frequency multipliers–the frequency of the lifting.

All variables of length in the equation are expressed in units of centimetres. It should be
noted that 23 kg is the maximum weight that NIOSH recommends for lifting. This has
been reduced from 40 kg after observation of many people doing many lifting tasks has
revealed that the average distance from the body of the start of the lift is 25 cm, not the
15 cm assumed in an earlier version of the equation (NIOSH 1981).

Lifting index.

By comparing the weight to be lifted in the task and the RWL, a lifting index (LI) can be
obtained according to the relationship:

LI=(weight to be handled)/RWL.
Therefore, particularly valuable use of the NIOSH equation is the placing of lifting tasks
in order of severity, using the lifting index to set priorities for action. (The equation has a
number of limitations, however, that need to be understood for its most effective
application. See Waters et al. 1993).

Estimating Spinal Compression Imposed by the Task

Computer software is available to estimate the spinal compression produced by a manual

handling task. The 2D and 3D Static Strength Prediction Programs from the University of
Michigan (“Backsoft”) estimate spinal compression. The inputs required to the program
are:

 the posture in which the handling activity is performed

 the force exerted
 the direction of the force exertion
 the number of hands exerting the force
 the percentile of the population under study.
 

The 2D and 3D programs differ in that the 3D software allows computations applying to
postures in three dimensions. The program output gives spinal compression data and lists
the percentage of the population selected that would be able to do the particular task
without exceeding suggested limits for six joints: ankle, knee, hip, first lumbar disc-
sacrum, shoulder, and elbow. This method also has a number of limitations that need to
be fully understood in order to derive maximum value out of the program.

3.3 Ergonomic and Enviromental Physics

Noise
What is noise?
Noise can be one of the most irritating disturbances in the contemporary office. By
planning for acoustic solutions and quiet spaces, you can reduce stress and improve
concentration. For example, The British Council of Offices has calculated that better
acoustics could increase productivity of UK companies by two percent!
Noise is any annoying, disturbing or unwanted sound.
Noise can have many effects on people. It can:
 irritate people;
 interfere with verbal communication;
 reduce working efficiency;
 disturb sleep;
  damage hearing.
Sounds can be interpreted as music, a story, a joke, a warning or an endless array of other
possible signals. Sound can often bring us great pleasure, but it can also annoy us, or
those around us. People have varying tolerance levels for sounds. If the sound goes
beyond the tolerance level, it is classified as noise, but this depends on the characteristics
of the particular person as well as the sound. For example, a group of people might enjoy
playing loud rap music at 3a.m. The same sounds might not be appreciated by their
neighbours! Likewise, a crying baby needs to able to make its parents hear when it
requires feeding – other members of the family might be annoyed by the same sounds.
Where does noise come from? Almost every aspect of modern life generates noise –
industrial processes, construction, office work and even home and leisure activities.
Industrial production and construction are rapidly increasing in many countries and this
brings with it an increase in industrial or 'occupational' noise. If we expose ourselves to
extreme noise levels, then damage to our hearing can easily occur. Ultimately this could
lead to severe deafness and to exclusion and isolation from society. Therefore, it is
essential that we take good care of our hearing.

Characteristics of noise
Noise or sound is created by alternate compression and decompression of particles of
the air. This causes the air pressure to fall and rise in the form of waves. Frequency
(pitch) and intensity (loudness) are the two characteristics of sound.
Frequency

Frequency is the number of times that the air is compressed and decompressed in a
second, and is measured in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). Low frequency produces a
low pitched, bass sound. High frequency produces a high pitched, whistle sound. Human
ears respond to frequencies between 20Hz and 20,000Hz. The human voice produces
frequencies between 500Hz and 2,000Hz. Below 20Hz and above 20,000 Hz sound
cannot be heard but it can still be harmful. The ear is most sensitive to sounds between
1000 and 4000Hz.

The infra-sounds and the ultra-sounds, although not heard by humans, produce feelings of
nausea, giddiness and headache in people exposed to them. Infra-sounds are the most
subtle and can occur in aeroplanes and other vehicles. Noise from heavy road vehicles
can penetrate the walls of houses.

Intensity 

Intensity is the amount of sound energy reaching the eardrum, and is measured in
decibels (dB). Zero decibels is the faintest sound that the average person can hear, and
the loudest sound may be more than a million times this level. This is because the
intensity of sound does not rise gradually - each increase of 10 decibels means that the
intensity increases 10 times.  For example, a 10 decibel sound is 10 times louder than a 1
decibel sound; a 20 decibel sound is 100 times louder than a 1 decibel sound (10x10); 30
decibels are 1000 times louder (10x10x10), and so on. The ear responds to intensities
from 0 to 140dB. Discomfort is felt at 120dB, and near 140dB, pain is felt with possible
rupture and permanent damage to the eardrum. 

Some noise intensity measurements are given in a measure called 'dB(A)' which takes
into account the frequency sensitivity of the ear. dB(A) measurements are obtained on a
noise meter which weights the different frequency components. For example, the noise
intensity for a circular saw, and the noise intensity inside a bus have the same value when
expressed in dB. But the noise from a circular saw contains a greater proportion of high
frequencies, and is more annoying than the noise inside a bus. Therefore, the circular saw
has a higher dB(A) value.

European law now requires manufacturers of tools and appliances to state the noise
emission levels of their products. This allows customers to choose quieter machines and
gives the manufacturers some incentive to create quiet designs.

Some examples of noise levels are shown below.

Anatomy of hearing
Hearing is the function of the auditory system, which is
organised to detect several aspects of sound, including
pitch, loudness and direction.

A sensation of hearing is caused when sound waves

pass through the ear passage, resulting in the vibration
of the eardrum. This, in turn, activates a lever system
of three small bones - the hammer (malleus), the anvil
(incus) and the stirrup (stapes), situated in the air-
filled cavity of the middle ear. The stirrup sets up
vibrations in the fluid-filled inner ear and the
mechanical vibrations are transformed into nervous
impulses, which travel to the auditory cortex in the
brain and are recognised as sound.

The effects of noise

Deafness
The main effect of noise is the development of deafness, especially when you are
exposed to high levels of continuous noise, for example, during working hours. This may
result in 'noise-induced occupational deafness'. There is no cure and no treatment for
deafness. Damage to your hearing is permanent, and will never get better.
Occupational deafness is a gradual process of reduction of hearing ability associated with
damage to the cochlea. Occupational deafness does not occur accidentally; it is a result of
not reducing exposure to noise, for example, by moving out of a noisy environment or
wearing hearing protection. The initial loss of hearing occurs at frequencies above those
involved in speech (500-2,000Hz) and consequently considerable loss can occur before
the effect becomes noticeable to you. The obvious danger is that considerable damage
may have occurred to the hearing mechanism before you become aware of it, and in later
life, this deafness will become worse because of the natural effects of the aging
processes.

The adverse effect of noise on hearing depends on the characteristics of a sound:

 its intensity - it is probable that sounds of less than 80dB intensity do not cause
noise-induced deafness,
 its frequency - tones of 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000Hz frequency are considered to
produce the greatest damage,
 its duration - in terms of your exposure during the working day and during your
working life. Your exposure should be more limited at frequencies and intensities
that are likely to cause damage.

Noise and performance

Noise causes fatigue and loss of concentration and efficiency, resulting in a decrease in
work output and an increase in the number of mistakes made. Work involving learning is
more susceptible to disruption from noise than routine work. This could be of importance
to a school leaver training on-the-job in a noisy work environment.

Speech comprehension
The comprehension of speech is affected by both the sound level of the background noise
and the sound level of the voice itself. The average intensity of a human voice in a room
at a distance of one metre lies within the following ranges:
 conversation 60-65dB(A)
 dictation 65-70dB(A)
 calling out 80-85dB(A)
 The general background noise level must be at least 10dB(A) below these levels if the
sound of the voice is to be heard clearly.

 
Legal requirements for noise

In the UK the Noise at Work Regulations limit the noise to which an employer can expose the employees. It is based
on three Action Levels:
First Action Level: 85dB(A) for 8 hours per day. Employees can demand hearing protection.
Second Action Level: 90dB(A) for 8 hours per day. Employees must wear suitable hearing protection.
Peak Action Level: 140dB(A). This must never be exceeded.
If workers are exposed to noise for more than 8 hours per day, these levels must be reduced. Conversely, if workers are
exposed to noise greater than these levels, then the duration of their exposure to the noise must be reduced.
The following are the recommended noise exposure levels in the UK:

Max noise level (dB(A)) Duration (hrs per day)

90 8
93 4
96 2
99 1
It is likely that these levels will be reduced in the near future due to new legislation called the Physical Agents (Noise)
Directive from the European Commission. This will apply across the European Union.

Guildine for noise level

Specific environment Health effects Target level (dB(A))
Outdoor living area Serious annoyance, daytime and evening 55
Moderate annoyance, daytime and evening 50
Indoor living area Speech intelligibility and moderate annoyance, 35
daytime and evening
Inside bedrooms or hospital ward Sleep disturbance, night time 30
rooms
Outside bedrooms Sleep disturbance (window open) 45
School classrooms Speech intelligibility, disturbance of information 35
extraction, message communication
Hospital treatment rooms Interference with rest and recovery as low as possible
Industrial, commercial, shopping and Hearing impairment 70
traffic areas
Ceremonies, festivals and Hearing impairment 100
entertainment events
Public address Hearing impairment 85
Music through headphones Hearing impairment 85

Light
How much light is needed for various situations or activities?
Poor lighting can cause several problems such as:
 Poor lighting can be a safety hazard – misjudgment of the position, shape or
speed of an object can lead to incidents and injury.
 Poor lighting can affect the quality of work, specifically in situation where
precision is required, and overall productivity.
 Poor lighting can be a health hazard – too much or too little light strains eyes and
may cause eye discomfort (burning, etc.) and headaches.
The amount of light we need varies and depends on:

 Type of task being done (such as demands for speed and accuracy).
 Type of surfaces (does it reflect or absorb light).
 General work area.
 Individual's vision.

The amount of light falling on a surface is measured in units called lux. Depending on the
factors noted above, adequate general lighting is usually between 500 and 1000 lux when
measured 76 cm (30 inches) above the floor.*
Examples of industrial and office tasks and the recommended light levels are in the table
below.
Recommended Illumination Levels*
Ranges of Illuminations
Type of Activity
(Lux)**
Public spaces with dark surroundings 20-50
Simple orientation for short temporary visits 50-100
Working spaces where visual tasks are only occasionally 100-200
performed
Performance of visual tasks of high contrast or large scale 200-500
Performance of visual tasks of medium contrast or small size 500-1000
Performance of visual tasks of low contrast or very small size 1000-2000
Performance of visual tasks of low contrast and very small 2000-5000
size over a prolonged period
Performance of very prolonged and exacting visual tasks 5000-10000
* From: IESNA Lighting Handbook. 9th ed. Illuminating Engineering Society of North
America, 2000. p. 10-13.
**Lux = Lumens (quantity of light) per square metre.
To reach proper light levels and uniform light distribution in the visual environment,
many light fixtures are designed to reflect light off walls, ceilings and objects. The
amount of light reflected off a surface can be measured. Suggestions for the percent of
light reflected off surfaces in a typical office include:

 Window blinds (40-50%).

 Walls (50% maximum).
 Business machines (50% maximum).
 Ceiling (70-80%).
 Floor (20-40%).
 Furniture (25-45%).

The percent value refers to the amount of light that a surface reflects relative to the
amount that falls on the surface.
In addition, light fixtures that are too widely spaced or wrongly positioned can create
shadows. Objects between the light fixture and work being done can block the light and
cast shadows. Likewise, workers sitting with their backs to windows, with light fixtures
directly overhead or to the rear, cast shadows on their own work surfaces.

How much light is needed for various situations or activities?

To detect insufficient light, try the following:
 Measure the average illumination throughout the workplace. Compare this to the
recommended levels.
 Look for shadows, especially over work areas and on stairways.
 Ask workers if they suffer from eye strain or squint to see, or get frequent
headaches.
Workers should sit in their normal working positions during measurement to give you
accurate results.
To correct insufficient light:
 Replace bulbs on a regular schedule. Old bulbs give less light than new ones, so
replace them before they burn out. Follow manufacturers' instructions.
 Clean light fixtures regularly. Dirt on light fixtures reduces the amount of light
given off. Light fixtures with open tops allow air currents to move dust up through
the fixtures so dust and dirt do not accumulate on them.
 Add more light fixtures in appropriate places.
 Paint walls and ceilings light colours so light can be reflected.
 Use more reflected light and local lighting to eliminate shadows. For example, a
covered light mounted under a transparent guard on a grinding wheel provides the
added light needed to clearly see the task.
 Do not position the work station with the light fixture directly behind worker.
Glare
Glare is a common lighting problem. Glare is what happens when a bright light source or
reflection interferes with how you are 'seeing' an object. In most cases, your eyes will
adapt to the brightest level of light. When this adaptation happens, it becomes harder to
see the details in the duller or darker areas of the work space (even though they are
actually sufficiently lit!). Glare can cause annoyance and discomfort, and can actually
decrease a person's ability to see.
Reflected glare is caused by:
 Light reflected from polished, shiny or glossy surfaces.
 Glass on picture frames, or windows at night.
 Monitors / screens.
Direct glare is caused by:

 Very bright light from poorly positioned light fixtures.

 Sunlight.

There are several ways to find sources of glare.

 When in your normal working position, look at a distant object at eye level. Block

the light "path" from the fixtures with a book or cardboard. If the distant object is
now easier to see, the light fixtures are probably producing glare.

 To detect reflected glare, look at the task from your normal working position.
Block the light falling on it from the front or above. If details are now easier to
see, reflections are a problem.

 Place a small mirror face up on the work surface. If the mirror reflects light from
above, the light fixture is responsible for glare.
 Look for shiny objects that reflect light. Glass in picture frames, glossy table tops
and monitors or screens are common examples.
  Ask workers if they experience sore or tired eyes, headaches or if they need to
squint to see.
To correct glare, try:
 Using several small low-intensity light fixtures rather than one large high-intensity
light fixture.
 Using light fixtures that diffuse or concentrate light well. Indirect light fixtures or
direct light fixtures with parabolic louvres are two possibilities.
 Covering bare bulbs with louvers, lenses or other devices to control light.
 Increasing the brightness of the area around the glare source.
 Using adjustable local lighting with brightness controls.
 Positioning light fixtures to reduce reflected light that is directed toward the eyes.

 Using low gloss paper or applying flat or semi-gloss paint and matte finishes on
'offending' surfaces. Removing highly polished and shiny objects.
  Keeping general lighting levels at recommended levels.
 Positioning the work station so that windows and fluorescent light tubes are
parallel to the worker's line of sight.
 Position the work station so that the light fixtures are NOT in the front or directly
overhead.

What should you know about poorly distributed light?

When light is poorly distributed, parts of the ceiling and general surroundings will seem
dark and gloomy. Substantial differences in light levels force your eyes to readjust when
moving from one light level to the other. Workers may find it difficult or impossible to
see properly.
You can detect poorly distributed light by:

 Looking for dark areas and uneven lighting.

 Using a light meter to check the illumination at various points throughout the
workplace. With uniform general lighting, the minimum reading should not be less
than two-thirds of the average value.

Correct for poorly distributed light by:

 Supplementing or replacing light fixtures with ones that distribute some light
upwards.
 Painting ceiling and walls in light colours that reflect light.
 Cleaning ceilings, walls and light fixtures.

Temperature
A healthy human body automatically regulates thermal exchange with its surroundings in
order to keep the temperature of the blood constant. If the blood temperature changes, the
body is rapidly put into a state of discomfort and illness, often resulting in compensation
behaviours, or in worst cases, impairing mental or physical performance. The balance of
the body’s heat exchange with the environment can be expressed in terms of power
(energy consumed per time unit, i.e. Joules/second = Watt). The balance in the following
equation (Bohgard, 2009 p. 198) states that the difference (usually an increase) in power
produced by the body and the power generated by the mechanical work must be balanced
by a number of heat/energy losses of different kinds:
  When office temperature is increased from 68 to 77℉, errors can be expected to
fall by 44%, while output can be expected to increase by an incredible 150%
 The highest productivity level occurs around 71.6℉
 An office of 100 people will have between 8-18 hours wasted each day, due to
temperature; the equivalent of 2% of the team's staff never showing up to work
that day
 Improving temperature conditions can save employers as much as 10% in extra
labor per worker, per hour, that was previously spent on mistakes made due to a
"too-cold" office

In short, it is easier to think when you're comfortable — and, thus, easier to do your job.
Too hot, too cold, or too fluctuating a temperature compromises the focus, efficiency,
accuracy, and, ultimately, output that make for a good, happy day's work.

"...raising the temperature to a more comfortable thermal zone saves employers about $2
per worker, per hour..." - Professor Alan Hedge, Cornell Universit
And temperature affects much more than productivity. Colder temperatures cause our
muscles to tense up, creating pain and discomfort. This "chill" can disproportionately
affect women, as females tend to have less muscle mass than their male
counterparts. Adjusting the temperature appropriately thus improves physical comfort.
There is even research connecting warmer temperatures to a more friendly culture among
colleagues, as temperature influences our mood and general openness to others.
Because we are biologically wired to seek warmth from day one, our ability to stay
present during, say, meetings or conversations with colleagues in passing (where
important relationships have the opportunity to develop), is benefited greatly when we're
physically comfortable, and hurt when we're cold.

Additional Tips for Comfort in the House Office

 Learn hand exercises. For those of us who type a lot, taking preventative measures
against carpal tunnel syndrome is highly recommended, especially if your hands
tend to be cold.
 Check the ergonomics of your workstation. Cold hands could be a result of an
unhealthy typing posture that is restricting blood flow. Your forearms should be
parallel to the floor at a 90° angle to your upper arm when typing. Maintaining an
ergonomic, healthy posture is also key to protecting against other work-related
MSD's (tendonitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, tension neck syndrome...).
 Layers, layers, layers. Whether you run hot or cold, having the freedom to take off
and put on layers throughout the day = adaptability, when the temperature
fluctuates in the office.
 Move more throughout the day. Taking stretch and movement breaks throughout
the day improves circulation by getting your blood flowing and increasing your
heart rate. And more movement, in general, delivers long-term health benefits far
beyond simply warming the body temporarily.
 Exercise more. If you have poor circulation, pains and strains in the body from
sitting too much, or bad posture, exercise will treat both the cause and the
symptom at the same time — you will, to put it simply, feel better.

Vibration

Vibrations affect our ability to work in both the physical and the mental sense. In a
working environment where there is vibration, there is usually also long-term ambient
noise which may impair concentration or hearing of important information or signals. In
the physical sense, vibrations are a risk because the body tissues and organs absorb the
energy from them. Particularly the muscles compensate for the small forces that
vibrations expose the body to, both by voluntary and involuntary contractions. If the body
is exposed to vibration for a long time duration, this results in excessive low-level static
loading, which not only tires the muscles, but also poses a risk to the joints. As explained
in Chapter 4, the joints’ contact surfaces are covered with cartilage, to cushion and
smoothen the gliding of the bones against each other. Vibrations over long time durations
can wear down the layer of cartilage prematurely, causing joint pain and problems.
Furthermore, because the cartilage is thinnest at the outer edges, we have the least
amount of natural cushioning at the extreme ends of the motion range. This implies that
work in extreme postures in a vibrating environment is a particularly hazardous
ergonomics risk.
Vibrations appear in many immersive working environments, quite frequently in vehicles
such as trucks, buses, ships and forestry equipment, where the body is standing or sitting
on a vibrating base. Aside from the risk of injury to muscles and joints, an additional risk
factor is that different body tissues have different resonance frequencies, meaning that
there is a range of vibrations at which some body tissue will experience local discomfort
(Figure 12.10). These resonance frequencies will Head (axial direction) about 25 Hz
Eyeball, intra-ocular structures 30-80 Hz Chest wall about 60 Hz (lung volume)
Abdominal mass 4-8 Hz Shoulder girdle 4-5 Hz Lower arm 16-30 Hz Spinal column
(axial direction) 10-12 Hz Hand grip 50-200 Hz Legs The resonance frequency varies,
from about 2 Hz with flexed knees to over 20 Hz with rigid knees Person standing on
vibrating platform
Figure 12.10: Resonance frequencies for different body segments, represented by a
simplified mechanical model of a human standing on a vibrating platform. Image by C.
Berlin, based on Rasmussen (1982)

Work Environmental Factors 235 vary from individual to individual but tend to lie within
a certain range (for example, the resonance frequency of the shoulder complex typically
lies between 4 to 6 Hz, according to Bohgard, 2009 and Rasmussen, 1982). Not only the
joints and muscles are at risk; even the internal organs, eyes, brain and spine are sensitive
to vibration at different frequencies. Particularly the eyes atresonance frequency cannot
function, leading to impaired visual work due to the vibrating environment. Low-
frequency vertical vibration (lower than 1 Hz) has a particular tendency to cause nausea
or drowsiness, depending on the amplitude or intensity and the resonance frequencies of
the individual’s body segments. This explains why some people can experience motion
sickness in a vehicle or ship, while others are lulled to sleep. (Either way, there is a
definite impairment to alertness.)

Radiation

Radiation is a mostly invisible environmental factor that has the potential to cause serious
long-term ill health effects, and it is important to know something about the range of
consequences that may result from radiation exposure. Sources of radiation include
equipment, radioactive substances, particles in the air, food, sunlight, lamps, radios and
electrically charged materials. Generally, the way to limit radiation exposure is by
placing a shield between the source of radiation and the human. The human body absorbs
radiation but has the potential to recover from very low doses, as long as sufficient
recovery time is allowed between exposures. However, excessive short-term exposure
may result in immediate fatal effects. In occupational/industrial hygiene, the remedies to
protect workers against radiation are regulation of time, distance and shielding.
However, it is important to remember that radiation is also very useful; for example, X-
rays allow us to non-invasively identify damages in the body; UV radiation can disinfect
surfaces and reveal the presence of materials not otherwise visible to the human eye;
microwaves allow rapid heating of food materials; and IR cameras can be used to detect
motion in places that are too dark for the human eye to see.

3.4 Ergonomic and Psychology

From treadmill desks to ergonomic keyboards, there are countless ways to “go
ergonomic” these days. You can outfit your offices from top to bottom with the
latest ergonomic products, have your employees stand up all day, or you can have them
sit on medicine balls. Possibly create stretching stations, and hold walking meetings.
Model your wellness programs after one you might find in Scandinavia, and hire an
instructor to teach desk-side yoga
All of these interventions can - and will be - effective on their own. But they’ll be
even more effective when you consider the psychology of ergonomics.
Don’t know what that is? Let’s breakdown just what that term means and why it matters,
so that you can ensure your ergonomic interventions produce the greatest results.

What Does the Psychology of Ergonomics Entail?

Understanding behavior and how we move through space

When ergonomists sit down to design ergonomic solutions, the first thing they look at is
how we move through space. They might have an employee video their movements for a
day. Now they can see how office equipment is lining up with the build of that
employee’s body. Ergonomists could also look at an employee’s posture. Following this,
they can propose behavioral interventions. They also propose equipment solutions that
will provide exactly the right kind of support. They will then take a close look at the
employee’s behavioral patterns throughout the day. This could include the length of time
they’re at their keyboard, the amount of typing they do in a day. Or how hard they press
their keys, how often they get up for a stretch break, how much they’re on the phone, etc.
If you have an ergonomist on staff, great! They will take care of much of this for you. But
even then, you’ll still need employees to take a close look at their posture and behavioral
patterns, as they’re the only ones who can change this. It can be extremely useful to have
employees watch the aforementioned videos of themselves. This way, when the
ergonomist proposes intervention and solutions. The employee will have a deep
understanding of the issues at hand. They will have concrete images to refer back to as a
guide for change.

Offer ergonomic training and support at the office

Even the most brilliant ergonomic solution is bound to fail when an employee is simply
given a product or told to change a behavior. And is then left alone… Many behaviors are
ingrained and cannot simply be undone overnight. What’s more, many ergonomic
solutions will feel, well, a little weird to a body that’s used to doing things in a different
way. It doesn’t matter that the familiar way is the wrong way, and that it will eventually
lead to injury, if it hasn’t already. If it’s easier in the present moment, that’s what the
employee will continue to do unless pushed, trained, and supported to do otherwise.
When first implementing an ergonomic solution, provide the employee with full and
proper training on how to use that new product or how to better approach that behavior.
Whether this is a video, a session with an ergonomist, or a training from a fellow
employee, it’s important to invest time into upfront learning. Encourage your employees
to train up in manageable increments. It’s a better idea than trying to implement a single
ergonomic overhaul all at once.
Once initial training has been completed, provide opportunities for the employee to
check-in regularly with their trainer. Now they can track improvements and make any
necessary tweaks to their approach. You might even encourage employees to make
accountability buddies who are implementing ergonomic solutions of their own. With this
support network, employees can swap stories and tips. They will feel like they’re in on it
together, which will make them more likely to follow through with they psychology of
ergonomics.

When thinking ergonomically, consider the whole person

A successfully implemented ergonomics program is never strictly about ergonomics

itself. It’s about the whole person! In fact, often it’s about the whole team! Oftentimes
that employee’s aching back is about a bad chair — but it’s also about a bad manager, or
a heavy workload, or an employee who has lost all passion for their job. While a new,
ergonomic chair can certainly help the situation, it will never solve it entirely, and is
therefore only a fraction of the solution.
When employees complain of pain pay attention not just to the complaint at hand, but
also to the complaint that’s operating between the lines. Watch for tension on the team, or
a change in attitude towards an employee’s work. If need be, pair your ergonomic
intervention with a heart to heart between manager and employee. Or possibly a fun trip
out to eat to thank everyone for the long hours they’ve been putting in. By considering
the wider psychosocial dynamics, you’ll not only provide more effective ergonomic
solutions that are more likely to stick, but you’ll also create a healthier, more productive,
and possibly creative team.
Adopt an organizational mentality of prevention
Hey, organizations are people too! Or at least, they’re made of people, and it helps when
every person in that organization adopts a mentality of prevention rather than mitigation.
What does that mean, exactly? Not waiting until an employee is crippled with pain or
until they require surgery to offer a solution. One that is more often than not more costly
than minor interventions would have been in the first place. Look after an employee’s
needs now rather than later, and not encouraging employees to work through pain.
Nurture employees, and considering them as whole entities, rather than for what they can
provide in the here and now.
Notice something? All of the solutions listed above we’ve detailed throughout this article.
In fact, adopting a preventative mentality is key to each one of the previously articulated
solutions. The girding is what holds up the whole ergonomic structure. The sooner you
can implement a culture of prevention, the sooner you’ll start seeing results from your
ergonomics programs.
To summarize the psychology of ergonomics:
Ergonomics and the psychology of the workplace aren’t separate items to consider;
they exist as complementary arms of the same being. By considering the deeper
psychology of ergonomics, your interventions are far more likely to have success,
and to create a return on your investment.