Introduction to Ergonomics

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Introduction to Ergonomics

• IENG 321
• SDSMT
• Spring 2006

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Course Introduction

• Course Website
• http//www.hpcnet.org/sdsmt/directory/personnel/ck
  erk
• Syllabus
• Minor in Occupational Safety
• http//webpages.sdsmt.edu/ckerk/osminor.htm
• Course Content Matrix

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What is Ergonomics?

• Laws of Work
• the science and art of fitting the job to the
  employee to
• minimize injuries
• improve productivity quality
• The Dual Goals

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Ergo concepts come from . . .

• Engineering concepts
• physics
• psychology
• anthropometry
• anatomy
• physiology
• kinesiology

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Ergo requires skills in . . .

• Teamwork
• problem solving
• innovative thinking
• communications
• economic accountability
• desire to help people

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Why Address Ergonomics?

• Regulatory reasons
• Humanitarian reasons
• Good business practice

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Cost Categories Forgotten?

• Lost productivity
• medical plan
• absenteeism
• reduced quality / service
• employee turnover
• training

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Why?

• Cases involving 31 or more days away from work
  accounted for 44.5 of CTS cases and 22 of all
  nonfatal injuries and illnesses (2003 BLS)
• A single CTD could reach 50,000
• But, we dont need to justify based on claim
  costs
• Because ergonomics is good business!

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Severity of CTS Cases with all nonfatal injury
and illness cases when measured by days away from
work in 2001. (BLS 2003)
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Magnitude and Trend Numbers and types of
occupational illness cases between 1972 and 2001.
(BLS 2002)
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Nature of the Injury or Illness Nonfatal
injuries and illnesses distributed by nature of
injury or illness in 2001. (BLS 2003)
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Which injuries and illnesses accounted for the
most severe work loss in 2001. (BLS 2003)
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How nonfatal injuries and illnesses were
distributed by body part affected in 2001. (BLS
2003)
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Cost Accounting

• Account for safety injury costs by department
  or unit
• Coordinate Workers Compensation costs and
  Medical costs

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The Risk Factor Model
Lack of Rest
Work/Rest Ratio
Shift Length
Environment
Sustained
Repetition
Occupational
Vibration
Non-Occupational
Temperature
Posture
Physical Temporal Risk Factors
Force
Personal
Psychosocial
Compounding Risk Factors
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Physical Temporal Risk Factors

• Force
• Posture
• Temperature
• Vibration

• Repetitions
• Sustained
• Shift Length
• Work / Rest Ratio
• Lack of Rest

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Vibration

• Identify sources
• Eliminate or isolate if possible
• Dampening
• better tool design
• handle coatings
• dampening gloves

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Thermal Considerations

• Avoid cold exposure to extremities
• especially fingers
• Consider special gloves
• Consider localized heating

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Non-Occupational Activities

• Hobbies
• gardening, knitting, sewing, musical instruments,
  etc.
• Sports
• jogging, softball, rock climbing, golf, racquet
  sports, etc.
• Miscellaneous
• household chores, carrying children, driving cars
• Sleep

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Personal Risk Factors

• Aerobic capacity
• age
• alcoholism
• body build
• diabetes
• flexibility
• gender
• gout
• hypertension
• medical history
• menopause

• Nutrition
• obesity
• oral contraceptives
• posture
• pregnancy
• prior history of injury
• renal disease
• rheumatoid arthritis
• smoking
• stature
• strength

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Psychosocial Risk Factors

• Organizational climate culture
• Job attitude job satisfaction
• Personality traits
• Personal problems
• marital problems
• death of loved ones
• financial problems

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