Ergonomics Center: The Human Body & Injury Prevention

Ergonomics is a scientific discipline that has existed for many years. Traditionally concerned with factory workers, ergonomic professionals have expanded their work to include all types of workers, from laborers to seniors to office workers and students. They keep their work environments safe and efficient.

In addition, it looks for means to adjust our environment to lower the risks of illness and harm, enhance productivity, and improve the caliber of our work life.

The Goals of Ergonomics

The profession of ergonomics has two main concentrations (which frequently overlap):

1. Industrial ergonomics—occasionally called work-related biomechanics—concerns the physical aspects of work, including force, position, and repetitive movements.

2. Human factors ergonomics looks at the psychological features of work like mental anxiety and decision-making.

The aims of ergonomics contain the following:

• Reduce work-related injury and illness
• Help include workers’ compensation costs for companies
• Enhance the standard of work
• Reduce absenteeism
• Help companies comply with government regulations regarding work surroundings

Ergonomics professionals include:

• Engineers
• Security professionals
• Industrial hygienists
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Nurse practitioners
• Chiropractors
• Occupational doctors

How Ergonomics Enhances Work & Safety

The association between work injury and illness is old. It is even believed that Ancient Man concerned himself with developing the right tools to maximize efficiency and minimize distress.

Now, we continue to look for ways to improve the relationship between our “tools” and our jobs. One way to do that is to examine the workplace risk factors. These can be divided into three areas: physical characteristics, environmental features, and workplace hazards.

1. Physical Characteristics Of Work:

• Bearing
• Drive
• Repetition
• Duration
• Recovery time
• Velocity/Acceleration
• Heavy exertion that is dynamic

2. Segmental Vibration Environmental Characteristics Of Work:

• Heat
• Cold
• Lighting
• Sound
• Entire body vibration

3. Workplace Dangers:

• Physical pressure
• Mental pressure
• Workload
• Hours (shifts, overtime)
• Slips and falls
• Fire
• Exposure hazards (electrical, chemical, biological, radiation)