Ergonomics Flashcards
To understand Ergnomics
What is Ergonomics
The science that addresses human performance and well being in relation to the job, equipment, tools and environment. Fitting the job, equipment, tools and environment to the person. not the other way around
Ergonomics in North America
Deal with Physical Factors
What does Human Factors regard
Deals with the cognitive issues of people with jobs, equipment, tools and environment.
Philosophy of Ergonomics
Design based on human need and capabilities
Disciplines of Ergonomics
Physiology, Psychology, Biomechanics, Environmental Studies, Anthropometry, sociology, business, engineering, design
What causes Workplace related injuries
Repetitive movement or positions causes long term injuries.
Ergonomics reduces injuries by:
increasing occupational health and safety by optimizing design of equipment, tools, workstations and jobs
What is an example of Ergonomics reducing injuries
Ceiling drill. By creating a drill that stands on its own and has a camera at the end. In this way it reduces strain on the worker’s back muscles and and neck muscles since they an stand with a proper posture.
How do ergonomists help people return to work more quickly?
By analyzing jobs or parts of jobs that can be performed by injured workers.
What are the demands of ergonomists as the workplace diversifies?
Ergonomists must design workplaces and jobs that reflect a wider range of worker capabilities and limitations (eg. age, size, strength, abilities)
How do they meet the need of changing work force?
By fair and effective worker placement.
And by developing useful training programs so workers know how to perform their job safely.
What psychosocial issues do ergonomists address in the workplace?
Management styles, organizational design, job design, motivation, teamwork
More comfortable workers are able to?
work more efficiently
Engineering controls often:
reduce unnecessary production steps and allow for improved quality
In general, how do ergonomists reduce human error? Give an example of this
They take a systematic view of an operation to determine potential areas of human error. An example of this is the conditioner bottle and shampoo bottle have lids on opposite ends.
