Ergonomics and Work System

Ergonomics defined
Ergonomics is
Ergonomics and Work System
Healthy work environment
Good Body Mechanics
Right Work Practices
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Ergonomics defined
Greek words,
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Ergonomics History
As early as 18th century doctors noted that workers who

required to maintain body positions for long periods of time
developed musculoskeletal problems.
Within last 20 years research has clearly established

connections between certain job tasks and certain health
problems like repetitive stress injuries (RSI) .
Ergon - Nomus
(Work) - (Natural Law)
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Ergonomics defined
Ergonomics means Fitting the job to the Worker.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Ergonomics importance
Physical Risk Factors :
1. Repetitions
Ergonomics is the science and practice of designing jobs and

work places to match the capabilities and limitations of human
body.
2. Static loading or sustained Exertions

3. Mechanical Contact Stress
4. Awkward Posture
5. Force
6. Vibration
7. Temperature
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Specific Risk Factors :
1. High Hand Force
Employees subjected to ergonomic risk factors are at risk of
developing
2. Highly Repetitive Motion
Repetitive Stress Injuries (Pain)
3. Repeated Impact
4. Awkward Posture
5. Heavy, Frequent, Awkward lifting
6. Moderate to High hand arm vibration.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Productivity lost from
The price of pain
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
2% - likely to suffer from chronic pain requires

minimum 10 days absence
10% - suffer acute pain requires minimum 2 days lost
of productivity
Sick leaves
Direct cost (Insurance claims)
Indirect cost (hiring temporary employees, training etc.)
Poor employee performance
20% - 1hour productivity is lost due to mild pain and

discomfort
Can be improved through Working Well
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Anthropometry and Design

Primary Guideline
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Anthropometry
and
Design
Design the workplace to accommodate most individuals

with regard to structural size of the human body.
The Science of measuring the human body is

termed Anthropometry.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Probability distribution and Percentile
A kth percentile is defined as a value such that k percent of

the data values are at or below this value and 100 k
percent of the data are at or above this value.
Typically, in a statistical approach, the approximately bellshaped curve is normalized by the transformation:
Once normalized, any approximately bell-shaped population

distribution will have the same statistical properties.
This allows the calculation of any percentile value as:

kth percentile = x bar z
where,
z = (x x bar ) /
where,
x bar = Mean
= Standard deviation (measure of dispersion)
kth percentile
10 or 90
5 or 95
2.5 or 97.5 1 or 99
z value
1.28
1.645
1.96
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

(Example)
2.33
kth percentile
10 or 90
5 or 95
2.5 or 97.5
1 or 99
z value
1.28
1.645
1.96
2.33
(Example)
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
kth percentile
10 or 90
5 or 95
2.5 or 97.5
1 or 99
z value
1.28
1.645
1.96
2.33
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Design for Adjustability
Design for Extreme
Implies that a specific design feature is a limiting factor in

determining either the maximum or the minimum value of
a population variable that will be recommended.
Examples:
Doorway or entry opening to storage tank
Maximum (95th)
Spaces in military aircraft/submarine
Minimum (5th)
Reaches for a brake pedal
Minimum
Reaches for a control knob
Minimum (5th)
(5th)
Typically used for equipment or facilities that can be

adjusted to fit a wider range of individuals.
Typically adjusted to accommodate the user population

ranging from 5th percentile females to 95th percentile
males.
The most preferred mode of design, however, in practice,

there is a trade-off with the cost of implementation.
Examples:
Chairs
Tables
Desks
Vehicle seats
Steering columns
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Tool supports DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Musculoskeletal system as a Lever System
Design for Average
It is the cheapest but least preferred approach.
It may be impractical or too costly to include adjustability

for all features.
Mechanical Advantage
= (Resistance (R) Overcome)/
Force Exerted
= (Force arm)/(Resistance arm)
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Provide a Comfortable Chair for the Seated Operator
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR


Six basic seating

postures
Source: From Serber, 1990,
Human Factors and
Ergonomic Society.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Locate All Tools and Materials Within the Npormal Working Area
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Locate All Tools and Materials Within the Npormal Working Area
Normal and maximum working areas in the vertical plane for women
A K SHARMA,
(forDRman
multiplyIITR
by 1.09)
Work Design : THE WORKPLACE Design Problems
For the employees to perform their job effectively,
General Principles for Workstation Design
TWO Design Factors should be kept in mind

1. There is a large variability in size of people in the work
force population, and
2. To understand the user population; that is,
a) culture,
b) education,
c) training,
d) skills attitude,
e) physical and mental capability etc.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
What must the worker see while on the job ?

This includes
Parts of the workplace that must be visible to the worker;
Numbers, types, and locations of control required to be

operated by he worker and the types of action to operate
them;
Interactions with other workers; necessity to view the job

activities performed by other workers.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
What must the worker hear ?

This includes
The oral communication during job performance;
Auditory signals that must be heard by the worker;
Requirement of hearing mechanical operation of the

equipment used.
What task must the worker perform ?

This includes
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Lifting;
carrying;
Positioning of materials.
The types of tool needed to perform the job must also be

considered.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Ergonomic Principles for Workplace Design
What is the sequence of job activities ?

What clearances are required ?
What storage is required ?
Dimensions of a workplace are determined based on the

following three major factors
1. Anthropometric data,
2. The nature of the job, and
3. Behavioural patterns of employees.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Work Design : MACHINES and EQUIPMENT

The Human-Machine System
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
In a human-machine system, the human operator interacts

with the machine.
The interaction is a closed-loop system.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Display Information Appropriately
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Recommended proportions for letters and numerals:
(H=height of capital letters or numerals, h= height of lower-case letters or numerals)
(Adapted from: Grether and Baker, 1972)

DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Control Display Compatibility
Use Proper Control Size, Displacement and Resistance
Control Response (C/R) Ratio, also called Control-Display (C/D)

ratio, is defined as the amount of movement in a control divided by
the amount of movement in the response.
It applies to continuous controls only, NOT discrete controls.
Low C/R High sensitivity,

High C/R Low sensitivity.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Gain = 1/(C/R) ratio.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
for linear control
For controls with significant rotational movement (e.g., ball-lever

control), the C/R is defined as
(C/R) = c/d
= (controls linear displacement)/ (display linear displacement)
For controls with significant rotational movement (e.g., ball-lever

control), the C/R is defined as
C / R 360
C / R 360
2 L
d
2 L
d
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Work Design : SAFETY ISSUES

CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS (CTDs)
CTDs (sometimes called repetitive motion injuries) are injuries to
the musculoskeletal system that develop gradually as a result of
repeated microtrauma due to poor design and excessive use of
hand tools and other equipment.
These problems are collection of variety of problems, including
repetitive motion disorders, carpel tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, etc.
According to US data in the year 1997, 15 20% of workers in the
key industries are at the potential risk of CTD; and 61% of all
occupational injuries are associated with repetitive actions.
Manufacturing is the worst affected industry; while butchering is
reported to be the worst affected occupation.
OSHA has focused on the reduction of incidence rates.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
Major work-related factors that lead to CTDs are:
The Most Common symptoms associated with CTDs are :
1. The use of excessive force during normal motions,
1. Pain,
2. Awkward extreme joint motions,
2. Joint movement restrictions, and
3. High repetitions of the same movements, and
3. Soft tissue swelling.
4. The lack of sufficient rest allowing the traumatized joints to recover.

IF LEFT UNTREATED, CTD CAN RESULT IN PERMANENT
DISABILITY.
DR A K SHARMA, IITR
DR A K SHARMA, IITR

DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Ergonomics and Work System

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Ergonomics defined

Ergonomics and Work System

Healthy work environment

Good Body Mechanics

Right Work Practices

As early as 18th century doctors noted that workers who

Within last 20 years research has clearly established

Ergonomics is the science and practice of designing jobs and

2. Static loading or sustained Exertions

2. Highly Repetitive Motion

Repetitive Stress Injuries (Pain)

The price of pain

2% - likely to suffer from chronic pain requires

Direct cost (Insurance claims)

Indirect cost (hiring temporary employees, training etc.)

Poor employee performance

20% - 1hour productivity is lost due to mild pain and

Can be improved through Working Well

Anthropometry and Design

Design the workplace to accommodate most individuals

The Science of measuring the human body is

Anthropometry and Design

Anthropometry and Design

Probability distribution and Percentile

Probability distribution and Percentile

A kth percentile is defined as a value such that k percent of

Once normalized, any approximately bell-shaped population

This allows the calculation of any percentile value as:

= Standard deviation (measure of dispersion)

Anthropometry and Design

Anthropometry and Design

Probability distribution and Percentile

Probability distribution and Percentile

Anthropometry and Design

Anthropometry and Design

Design for Extreme

Implies that a specific design feature is a limiting factor in

Spaces in military aircraft/submarine

Reaches for a brake pedal

Reaches for a control knob

Typically used for equipment or facilities that can be

Typically adjusted to accommodate the user population

The most preferred mode of design, however, in practice,

Tool supports DR A K SHARMA, IITR

Anthropometry and Design

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Design for Average

It is the cheapest but least preferred approach.

It may be impractical or too costly to include adjustability

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Musculoskeletal system as a Lever System

Musculoskeletal system as a Lever System

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Musculoskeletal system as a Lever System

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Six basic seating

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE Design Problems

Work Design : THE WORKPLACE Design Problems