Ergonomics

Concept, meaning and definition

- Greek words:
o Ergon: work
o Enomous: laws
- It is the study of the effects of work system on workers and aims to increase their efficiency, comfort and satisfaction.

Areas Ergonomics applied successfully

- Design of equipment, power and hand tools.
- Design of furniture, seats, resets and steps for operators.
- Design of tools and fixtures.
- Plant layout.
- Improvement in working conditions and environments.

Areas of ergonomic investigation of a work system

- Human characteristics.
- Work.
- Working conditions.
- Environment.

Impact of Ergonomics on Work Study

- Limits of sustained physical endurance, normal speed of movement and optimum method of handling of controls.
- Effects of working conditions.
- Qualitative and quantitative analysis of factors contributing to industrial fatigue.
- Effects of different types of environmental conditions on human beings.