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Understanding ERGONOMICS

Understanding ERGONOMICS. What is Ergonomics?. ____________________ is the study of how the physical health of workers is affected by their workplace Ergonomics deals with; Temperature Air Quality Lighting and Colour Furniture/Equipment Design. Ergonomics.

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Understanding ERGONOMICS

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  1. Understanding ERGONOMICS

  2. What is Ergonomics? • ____________________ is the study of how the physical health of workers is affected by their workplace Ergonomics dealswith; • Temperature • Air Quality • Lighting and Colour • Furniture/Equipment Design Ergonomics

  3. What is Ergonomic Design? • _____________________ means creating a healthier work area for employees, by applying knowledge of ergonomics to the design of tools, machines, systems, work areas, tasks, and jobs Ergonomic Design

  4. What is an Ergonomist? • An________________is someone whouses physical characteristics of a work area to make the workplace safe, comfortable, and more productive • Ergonomists work with designers and engineers to ensure that a product or service will be used correctly and that it will not cause physical injury to those who use it Ergonomist

  5. The History • The need for a ‘good fit’ between humans and their tools was realized early in the development of humanity • 16th Century: work injury complaints began to be documented and Scientific Management (a process designed to improve the job process) became popular

  6. The History • WWII prompted further interest in human-machine interaction due to the growing sophistication of military equipment. This included fitting the machine to the size of the soldier

  7. How Ergonomics Relates to the Workplace • Decreases risk of injury/illness • Enhances worker productivity • Improves quality of work life • Decreases numbers of days absent • Enhances worker retention (keeping employees employed with the company)

  8. What are the Hazards? The 2 most common physical injuries: • Overexertion & Back Injuries • Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)

  9. Overexertion & Lower-Back Injuries • Caused by lifting, carrying & lowering heavy material • Material handling is commonly done in organizations and can result in high-risk injuries which are the result of overexertion, poor posture and improper lifting techniques

  10. Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) • The cause can be traced back to continuous and repetitive actions that produce muscle and/or skeletal strain • This results in excessive wear and tear on soft body tissue (tendons, nerves & circulatory system) • Usually RSI affect one or more of the following: fingers, wrists, arms, elbows, shoulders, neck, back and sometimes the lower body

  11. Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) • RSI is becoming the most common occupational disease • Examples of RSI include: tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, telephone operator’s elbow, writer’s cramp and postal worker’s shoulder

  12. Examples of Injuries Considered to be RSI The 2 most common forms of RSIs are: • Tendonitis • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  13. RSI Risk Factors 1. Spending a large amount of time in continuous computer use 2. Repetitive actions 3. Poorly designed workstations 4. Poor typing skills (i.e. poor hand position, excessive force in striking the keys, etc)

  14. RSI Symptoms • Weakness in the limb • Tingling/numbness in limb • Lack of Endurance (hand tires rapidly) • Clumsiness • Tightness/general soreness • Dull ache, throbbing and/or sharp pain • Burning and swelling

  15. ALERT! If you are experiencing RSI related pain, immediately see your doctor. The longer you wait the worse your condition will get.

  16. Workstation Design 4 major components of workstation design are; • Layout • Control and display panels • Seating • Lighting

  17. Ergonomic Examples • Furniture: chair with back support • Accessories: “V” shaped keyboards • Workstations: adjustable desk • Atmosphere: air filters

  18. A Growing Concern Ergonomic hazards have become a growing concern because they are increasingly being recognized as responsible for; • Employee injury, illness and absenteeism • Overall employee happiness

  19. Ergonomics and the Internet • To see just how big of a growing concern ergonomic hazards have become in today’s society, you need only to look on the Internet. There is a variety of websites dedicated to: • New ergonomic products • Ergonomic suppliers • Ergonomic consulting firms • Proper work methods/processes • Implementation info • Statistics • Legal Issues

  20. Websites & Video www.ergoweb.com • Consulting, training & software www.ergonomichome.com • Sells products for home & office use www.ergopro.com • Sells products for home & office use You Tube Video

  21. The End Be sure to keep these notes in your binder, as you will need them to study from for an upcoming quiz.

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