Tishk International University

Faculty Of Engineering

Civil Engineering department

Ergonomic

Prepared By Supervised By

Hevi Abubakir : 121119008 Dr. Barham Haydar

Laween Kakil : 121119011
Submission Date
Mohammed Riyadh : 121119015
9/11/2022
Zanyar Fathil : 121119004

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Table of Contents

1 Definitions of Ergonomics....................................................................................................................1

2 History of Ergonomics..........................................................................................................................2

3 Risk Factors..........................................................................................................................................4

4 key elements of successful ergonomic program in a workplace..........................................................6

4.1 Identify Risk Factors.....................................................................................................................6

4.1.1 Learn who is at risk for Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs)........................6

4.1.2 Learn about workplace conditions that put you at risk for WMSDs.....................................6

4.1.3 Learn what jobs put you at risk for WMSDs.........................................................................6

4.2 Involve and Train Management and Workers..............................................................................7

4.2.1 Understand the purpose of ergonomics training.................................................................7

4.2.2 Choose at least one type of ergonomics training.................................................................7

4.3 Collect Health and Medical Evidence...........................................................................................8

4.4 Implement your Ergonomic Program...........................................................................................8

4.4.1 Determine your control solution..........................................................................................8

4.5 Evaluate Your Ergonomic Program..............................................................................................9

4.5.1 Follow up on your intervention............................................................................................9

4.5.2 Determine the effectiveness of your intervention...............................................................9

4.6 Promote Worker Recovery through Health Care Management and Return-to-Work...............10

4.6.1 Promote musculoskeletal health in the workplace Follow up on your interventions to

ensure 10

4.7 Promote Worker Recovery through Health Care Management and Return-to-Work...............10

4.8 Maintain Management Commitment and Employee Involvement............................................11

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1 Definitions of Ergonomics
Ergonomics is derived from the Greek words ergo (work) and nomos (laws) to denote the
science of work. Ergonomics is a scientific discipline focused on comprehensively addressing
the interaction of humans with all aspects of their environment. While ergonomics initially is
focused on humans within the occupational setting, its wide purview and relevance to everyday
human life has extended ergonomic application to cover other areas, including consumer product
design, recreational environments, and processes. The principles of ergonomics are not limited to
traditional occupational environments such as offices or factories, but are broadly extended to
address the needs of users’ environments including the service, health care, and recreational
industries. The objective of the application of ergonomic principles to any environment is to
design the environment to be compatible with the need of the human users. In other words,
ergonomic applications are designed to "fit the task to the person." ergonomics is broad and
comprehensive, with the intent of addressing the occupational needs of humans in a holistic
fashion.

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2 History of Ergonomics
Some of the earliest known indications of ergonomics are attributed to the Italian physician and
philosopher Bernardino Ramazzini, He is considered the founder of occupational medicine and
his findings made an early case for the field of ergonomics-is. In the 1700s, Ramazzini published
De morbis artificum diatriba (Diseases of Workers, 2009), the first comprehensive work on
occupational diseases (Diseases of Workers). Ramazzini, through his observations, revealed a
variety of common workers' diseases that appeared to be caused by prolonged, irregular motions
and postures during task performance. These musculoskeletal injuries were very similar to the
soft tissue injuries (i.e., carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis) that workers experience today in
the presence of excessive repetition, force, excessive joint deviation and other known risk factors
(McCauley-Bell, 1993).The term "ergonomics" was first coined in 1857 by Wojciech
Jastrzebowski, an author and Polish scientist (Helander, 2005). A few years later, in 1883
(Koppes,2006), engineer Frederick Taylor would apply ergonomic principles to improve
productivity in a factory setting by designing aspects of the work environment to be suitable for
users. The application of ergonomic principles is as much about the effective management of the
work environment as it is about the science of the field. According to Frederick Taylor, the father
of scientific management, management's main goal should be to maximize prosperity for the
employer and employee. He sought maxi-mum efficiency by focusing on the training and
development of each worker, so that each individual produced the maximum output for his
abilities. He argued that increasing efficiency not only benefited the employer through increased
output, but also benefited the employee by enabling the employer to pay higher wages while still
experiencing increased profit. In order to achieve this maximum efficiency, he called for
management to (Koppes, 2006) do the following:

 Develop a science for each element of work to replace previously accepted general
methods Scientifically select, train, teach, and develop each worker
 Cooperate with workers to ensure work is done according to the developed science
 Have management assume responsibility for tasks for which it is best suited, rather than
have the worker perform all of the tasks

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Taylor argued that by implementing these four fundamental principles, management can take on
the burden of planning and applying scientific principles, leaving the worker to perform the tasks
for which they are most suited. The result is increased prosperity for employers and improved
job satisfaction for employees. The formal development of the field of ergonomics began in the
early 1900s and was largely linked to the changing industrial environment in the United States.
Ergonomic science was further propelled by military needs for equipment to effectively meet the
requirements of soldiers during combat. In wartime, military scientists and psychologists began
conducting research on humans in occupational settings. While much of this early ergonomic
research would actually be classified today as "fitting the worker to the task" "rather than "fitting
the task to the worker," this work laid much of the foundation upon which the human factors and
ergonomics field is now based. In the early twentieth century (Price, 1989), Frank and Lillian
Gilbreth conducted motion analysis studies that gave insight into the required movements and
their associated times for a variety of common occupational actions. These became known as
"therbligs." This term is the name "Gilbreth" spelled backward. The Gilbreths work included the
study of skilled performance and fatigue, as well as the design of workstations and equipment for
users with disabilities (Wood and Wood, 2003). A summary of the major periods of ergonomic
growth over the past 50 years are characterized in Table 1.1. This timeline provides a broad
overview of the history and focus areas of significant periods in ergonomics history. A more
detailed timeline is shown at the end of the chapter which provides more insight into the history
and growth of the field.

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3 Risk Factors
Ergonomic Risk Factors Associated with Work Task among the Construction Trade Worker

Risk Factors Causes Trade Muscle part

exposed to
MSDs
Awkward Using awkward postures to work Metal worker cutting Lower and
Postures and be in the same posture for a down the metal bar in upper back,
long time for example, repetitive awkward position knee, wrist,
when kneeling,squatting,wrist where he bends 90° thigh and
bend, twisting while lifting, and expose to shoulder
reaching material above shoulder vibration by machine
height he holding.
Force Exerting excessive force can A group of workers Wrist, lower
cause a variety of injuries. For lift up a huge timber and upper
example, lifting heavy object, platform where can hand,
pushing or pulling heavy load, expose to the shoulder.
manually pouring materials or excessive force to
maintaining control of hand, shoulder and
equipment or tools. back. It should be
done by lift it using
machineries.
Repetitive Known as performing the The bricklayers will Lower and
same task or repetitive. expose more to upper
For example, performing the repetitive during back, wrist,
same movement continuously or laying bricks stage. thigh
frequently for a long period. They keep repeat the and knee.
same movement until
the wall is form
Vibration It can affect the whole body and Worker using Lower and
hand-arm. If vibration to hand- machine during the upper hand,
arm can cause minor damage to break up the lower and
capillaries that carried nutrient tarmacadam exposes upper back.
and make hand difficult to to vibration to arm or
control tools. even to the whole
body will
Static Loading Activity that position of the The operator keeps Wrist,
worker need to hold for an staying in the same shoulder and
extended period of time. Thus, it position for longer upper back.
can restrict blood flow and period will caused
damage several muscles static loading on the
lower body.

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Contract Stress These activities localized Worker who always Fingers,
pressure into the body. For holding small tools wrist
example, pressing the body or and keep press into it
part of the body like a hand or will expose to
sharp edges. Additionally, using contract stress
any tools by hand for example
using hammer.

Extreme Temperature Extreme temperatures can be Welder or worker Whole

whose expose to high muscle of the
classified as both extreme cold
temperature will face body
and hot temperatures. Many of extreme temperature.
operation exposes to extreme
temperature caused worker more
force.

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4 key elements of successful ergonomic program in a workplace
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. The following are key elements of a successful
ergonomic program in a workplace:

4.1 Identify Risk Factors

4.1.1 Learn who is at risk for Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs)
Incidents of possible WMSDs are either isolated to a particular job/task or widespread, affecting
multiple departments. Records of complaints and injuries are often enough to reveal the scope of
a WMSD problem.

4.1.2 Learn about workplace conditions that put you at risk for WMSDs
Workplace conditions contribute to physical and psychological stress and can negatively affect
the musculoskeletal system. Physical stress comes from the force, repetition and postures
required in job tasks. Practical Demonstrations of Ergonomic Principles (2011) states that there
are neutral postures, awkward postures, and static postures. When your muscles and joints are
resting and relaxed you’re in the neutral posture. Awkward or unnatural postures require more
and more exertion from your muscles, tendons, nerves and bones as movements reach the limits
of the range of motion and can lead to MSDs. Also, if you maintain the same position, even in a
neutral posture, for an extended period of time, this static posture can cause additional muscle
fatigue and disrupt blood flow.

4.1.3 Learn what jobs put you at risk for WMSDs

To identify specific jobs or job tasks that put workers at risk for WMSD problems, you need to lay the
groundwork for early intervention and WMSD prevention. A single job setting may present more than
one risk factor for WMSDs. Your level of risk for developing WMSDs depends on the intensity,
frequency, and duration of your work tasks.

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4.2 Involve and Train Management and Workers
4.2.1 Understand the purpose of ergonomics training
Ergonomics training would be beneficial for all workers exposed to conditions that contribute to
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Employees know their own jobs better than anyone else does.
Workers must be given the opportunity to discuss problems as they see them. Management and
workers need to understand ergonomics if they are to correctly identify and solve workplace
MSD problems. Ergonomics training enables managers, supervisors, and employees to identify
the risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), recognize the signs and
symptoms of WMSDs, and develop strategies that reduce and prevent WMSDs.

4.2.2 Choose at least one type of ergonomics training

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4.3 Collect Health and Medical Evidence
Now that you have identified the signs of a potential work-related musculoskeletal disorders
(WMSD) problem and trained your staff, your next step is to determine the scope and
characteristics of the problem by collecting health and medical evidence of WMSDs. It is
essential to follow up on workers whose jobs cause undue physical fatigue, stress, or discomfort.
If employees report their symptoms early and openly, you can take corrective measures to delay
the development of musculoskeletal disorder (MSDs). In a scenario where workers in a certain
department report more MSD problems than workers in other departments, it is best to
immediately study possible MSD risk factors in that department.

4.4 Implement your Ergonomic Program

To implement an ergonomic program, begin by targeting easy to implement solutions that you
identified in your earlier analyses.1 Remember that early successes can build confidence and
experience for resolving more complex musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) problems.

4.4.1 Determine your control solution

There are five approaches to control work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk
factors. Elimination is the most effective way to reduce MSD risk factors in the workplace. The
Hierarchy of Controls also includes substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls,
and personal protective equipment. In ergonomics, engineering controls (isolating the hazard)
lead to substitution (replacing the hazard) and/or elimination (removing the hazard). Personal
protective equipment (PPE) and administrative controls are not as likely to reduce or eliminate
WMSDs.

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4.5 Evaluate Your Ergonomic Program
4.5.1 Follow up on your intervention
Follow up on your interventions to ensure the controls you implemented reduce or eliminate the
WMSD risk factors. Ensure that no new WMSD risk factors were created. Since workers may be
sore from doing their jobs differently and using new muscle groups, check with workers after
one week and again after one month following an implementation. Adjusting to work is also
important for new and return-to-work employees, particularly for tasks that are highly repetitive,
such as paced work on a fast conveyor line or picking items with a time standard. New
employees need about two weeks to condition their muscles. During the adjustment period it is
not unusual for new hires or employees returning from a long absence to report muscle soreness.

4.5.2 Determine the effectiveness of your intervention

You can use a variety of techniques to measure the effectiveness and benefits of your ergonomic
program. Compare the following data before and after the intervention :

 job analyses
 checklists
 symptom surveys
 OSHA form 300 logs
 employee absentee rates
 turnover rates
 workers’ compensation costs
 productivity indicators
 quality of products and services
 savings

Remember that workers will not experience the benefits of your ergonomic program
immediately. It can take months for old MSD symptoms to disappear, and you will need to
modify your intervention if new MSD symptoms appear.

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4.6 Promote Worker Recovery through Health Care Management and Return-to-Work
4.6.1 Promote musculoskeletal health in the workplace Follow up on your interventions
to ensure
Work-related injuries and disability are associated with many negative health and social
outcomes including reduced quality of life, job loss, reduced lifetime income, injuries among
family caregivers, and premature death. For example, a recent NIOSH-funded study external
icon found that workers who suffer serious injuries requiring days away from work are more
likely to die sooner than workers with injuries requiring only medical treatment. Other studies
have shown that the chances of returning to work drop dramatically the longer the worker
remains away from work. While more serious diagnoses are associated with longer periods of
work, minor diagnoses can also lead to disability if the recovery and return-to-work processes
are not properly managed.Employees, employers, and healthcare providers are all responsible for
preventing injury and disability in the workplace.

4.7 Promote Worker Recovery through Health Care Management and Return-to-Work
work-related injuries and disability are associated with many negative health and social outcomes
including reduced quality of life, job loss, reduced lifetime income, injuries among family caregivers, and
premature death. For example, a recent NIOSH-funded study external icon found that workers who
suffer serious injuries requiring days away from work are more likely to die sooner than workers with
injuries requiring only medical treatment. Other studies have shown that the chances of returning to
work drop dramatically the longer the worker remains away from work. While more serious diagnoses
are associated with longer periods off work, minor diagnoses can also lead to disability if the recovery
and return-to-work processes are not properly managed. Employees, employers, and health care
providers are all responsible for preventing injury and disability in the workplace.

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4.8 Maintain Management Commitment and Employee Involvement
Occupational safety and health research shows that management commitment is crucial to the success
of musculoskeletal health awareness training and WMSD interventions. Management is responsible for
encouraging worker input on real or suspected job hazards, ways to control these hazards, and how best
to implement interventions. Management should follow the objectives of a good ergonomics program,
outlined in the figure below.

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https://books.google.iq/books?id=uAJ-
DwAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=ergonomics&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

https://hrmars.com/papers_submitted/6420/
Ergonomic_Risk_Factors_(ERF)_and_their_Association_with_Musculoskeletal_Disorders_(MSDs)_amon
g_Malaysian_Construction_Trade_Workers_Concreters.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/ergoprimer/step7.html

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