What is the definition of Ergonomics?
What is the most basic definition of ergonomics?
Scientific discipline concerned with interactions among humans and the other elements of a system. Profession applies theory, principles, data, methods, analysis to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.
- Fitting the task to the person.
What are the three main streams of Ergonomics?
Physical, Cognitive, Organizational.
What does Physical Ergonomics consider?
What does Physical Ergonomics refer to in practice?
- Relationship of anatomy/physiology, anthropometry, and bio-mechanics to physical activity.
- Working postures, manual handling, repetitive movements, MSI’s, physical capacity for work or fatigue, workplace layout.
What is Cognitive Ergonomics?
What does Cognitive Ergonomics refer to in practice?
- Considers mental processes of perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response as they relate to human-system design.
- Mental workload, decision making, skilled performance, human-computer interaction, human reliability, work stress, shift work, fatigue, training/competency
What is Organizational Ergonomics?
What does Organizational Ergonomics refer to in practice?
- Optimization of socio-technical systems, IE interaction between people and technology.
- Work design, job enrichment, job enlargement, job rotation, motivation, task analysis, process improvement, job satisfaction, self managing teams.
Who wrote the 1700’s Diseases of workers, describing hazards of chemicals, dust, metals, and repetitive motions?
What are Frederick Taylor’s 4 principles?
- Bernardo Romazzini
- 1) Replace rule of thumb methods with scientific study for tasks
2) Scientifically select, train, and develop each employee
3) Provide detailed instruction and supervision for each task.
4) Divide work nearly equally between managers and workers.
How did Frank and Lillian Gilberth look to improve efficiency (3)?
How did WWII aid in Ergonomics?
1) Time/Motion studies
2) Standardization of work processes and tools.
3) Movements and postures of workers.
- Significant effort was focused on designing systems to eliminate chance for human error with sophisticated war machines.
In what year did the formal study of Ergonomics begin w/ Ergonomic Research Study in the UK?
What is the IEA?
What is the ACE?
- International Ergonomics Association
- Association of Canadian Ergonomists.
What are the 4 elements of a systems approach surrounding the worker?
Task, Physical Environment, Work-space, Organization Procedures.
What are the 2 approaches to ergonomics?
Does BC have specific regulation or generalized?
Does Alberta have specific regulation or generalized?
- Explicit rules and requirements independent of other OHS requirements
- General expectation ergonomic hazards will be addressed within the general framework of other requirements (ie General Duty Clause)
- BC is specific, OHS Regs 4.46-4.53
- AB is specific, OHS Code part 14, Sec 211
What Canadian Jurisdictions do not have specific ergonomic legislation or guidelines?
What code does the Federal Government use to regulate ergonomics within its areas of responsiblity?
- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, Nunavut
- Canada Labour Code Part XIX
In BC sections 4.46-4.53 of the OHS regs require employers to ID and assess ergonomic risk factors related to what?
What must be done once risk factors are identified?
- Physical demands, Layout/condition of workplace, objects handled, environmental conditions, work/recovery cycles, task variability, work rate.
- Control/minimize risk. Educate workers on the hazards and controls, evaluate the effectiveness of controls.
What are some standards developed by ISO related to ergonomics? (General not specific standard)
- What is the CSA’s one specific standard related to office ergonomics.
- What 2 Standards related to Ergonomics did ANSI develop?
- Thermal work conditions, Video Display terminals, materials handling, vehicles, lighting, computer input devices, vibration etc.
- Z4121 - Guideline to office ergonomics
- A10.40 Reduction of MS problems in construction
- ANSI/HFES 100-2007, Human factors Engineering of Computer Workstations Standard
Who publishes the TLV for chemical substances and physical agents including ergonomic stressors annually?
- What is ASTM International?
- What ergonomic standard did ASTM develop?
- American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).
- American Society for testing and materials
- E2350-07 - Standard guide for integration of Ergonomics/Human factors into new Occupational systems.
What US Military standard was developed focusing on physical ergonomics?
MIL-STD-14726 - Present human engineering design criteria, principles, and practices to achieve mission success through integration of the human into the system, subsystem, equipment and facility and achieve effectiveness, efficiency, reliability, and safety of system operation training and maintenance.
What are the benefits of job rotation?
- Does job rotation lower risk factors?
- Reduces exposure to repetitive motions or sustained positions, increases job skills or knowledge, increases motivation
- Job rotation averages risk factors
What must be done to ensure employees now the correct work procedures and how to work safely?
How can you vary mental activities?
- Training: Classroom or on-the-job
- Give employees choice as to what types of mental tasks they do and when. Allows tasks best suited to their alertness patterns during the day.
What are the 5 factors of job design that typically contribute to an employee’s enjoyment of a job?
- Skill variability
- Task identity - Job from start to finish
- Task significance
- Autonomy - increase decision making / freedom
- Feedback
What is job enrichment?
What is work design/job engineering?
What ergonomic benefits do rest breaks help achieve?
What is an adjustment period?
- Gives people more control over their work, reducing stress
- Scientific approach to designing the work flow and pace so the processes work
- Alleviate the problems of unavoidable repetitive movements or static body positions
- Time period where workers get used to the physical demands of the job
What is job rotation and how must it be used to be successful?
What is job enlargement?
- Moving employees from tasks to other tasks. Rotation should occur during the shift and the physical requirements should vary.
- Employer provides opportunity for employee to change jobs to include more/different tasks.
What is task variety?
- Accomplished through job rotation and job enlargement. Design jobs with a variety of tasks that require change in body position, muscles used, and mental activities performed.
What are the three most common streams of ergonomics?
- Organizational, Physical, Cognitive
Organizational Ergonomics is also referred to as job design. Job design helps to determine what?
Good job design accommodates _______ (boring or stressful) and _______ characteristics (work/rest schedules and pace)
- What tasks are done, how, how many, what order tasks follow.
- Mental, Physical
When designing a work area the more often an item is used the ______ it should be positioned from our normal seated position.
What are some examples of work-related musculoskeletal disorders?
WMSD’s account for ___% of all compensation claims in Canada?
1) Closer
2) Carpal Tunnel, Tendonitis, Lower back pain, Tension Neck, Epicondylitis, Vibration White Finger, Sciatica, Tenosynovitis
3) 40%
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