Workstation- The place where the workers
occupies when performing job. It may be
occupied all the time or it may be one several
places where work is done.
Main Causes of Uncomfortable Work Posture
1. Poorly design seating
2. Standing for a long period
3. Reaching too far
4. Inadequate lighting in the area
 There are number of ergonomic
factors to consider when designing
a workstation including head
height, shoulder height, arm reach,
elbow height, hand height, leg
length
 Ergonomic workstation design
encourages good posture
Examples of factors that influence working
posture
Task requirements
1. Visual requirements - The position of
the head is a major determinant of the
posture of the body and is very strongly
influenced by the visual requirements
of task
2. Postural (effector) requirements- The
position of the hands, arms and feet is
another major determinant of posture
and postural load.
3. Temporal requirements - It is
particularly important when analyzing
physically constraining jobs to
characterize task components in terms
of frequency and importance of
operation and to ensure that the
workspace is arranged optimally for
high-ranking elements.
Sitting Design- If a job does not require
a great deal of physical strength and
can be done in limited space, then the
work should be done in a sitting
position
Different tasks require different work
surface heights:
1. Precision work, such as writing or
electronic assembly - 5 cm above
elbow height; elbow support is
needed.
2. Light work, such as assembly-line or
mechanical jobs - about 5-10 cm
below elbow height.
3. Heavy work, demanding downward
forces - from 20-40 cm below elbow
height.
Principles of workplace design
1. Determine work surface height by
elbow height.
2. Adjust the work surface height
based on the task being performed
3. Provide a comfortable chair for the
seated operator.
4. Provide adjustability in the seat
5. Encourage postural flexibility
6. Provide antifatigue mats of a
standing operator
7. Locate all tools and materials within
the normal working area
8.
9. Fix locations for all tools and
materials to permit the best
sequence
10. Use gravity bins and drop delivery
to reduce reach and move times
11. Arrange tools, controls, and other
components optimally to minimize
motions
Three Main Link between Person and the Job
1. Visual Interface: one must look at
among other things, the keyboard,
the computer screen, the printed
output and source documents.
2. Manipulation: the hands operate
keys, a mouse or other input
devices, manipulates a pen and
paper and hold telephone
3. Body Support: the body linked to
the seat at the undersides of the
thighs and buttocks and at the back
with the backrest.
Proper Office Lighting
1. Illumination is the amount of
lighting falling on a surface. The
light may come from the sun or
from luminaries (lamp).
2. Luminance is the amount of light
reflected or emitted from a surface.
Light may be reflected from the
ceiling, wall or tablet or it may be
emitted from VDT screen.
3. Luminous contrast ratio describes
the difference between the
luminance values of two adjacent
areas, assuming that there is a
define boundary between them.
Room Surface- The distribution of light within a
room depends on the location of light source
(luminaries) and the direction of light flow from
them as well as the reflectance's of the ceiling,
walls and other surface.
The reflectance and colors of the room surfaces
should be chosen so that there is continuous
decrease in reflectance from the ceiling to the
floor.
the ceiling reflectance: 80 to 90% by white
paint
The wall reflectance: 40 – 60% color bright
beige, yellow or green.
The floor reflectance: 20 – 40% correspond by
medium blue green or brown beige color
Two Glare Condition
1. Washout or veiling of contrast – caused
by high ambient illumination
2. Stay glare – caused by reflection from
shiny surface in the field of vision The
furniture and equipment reflectance:
25 – 40%
Types of Glare
1. Direct glare occurs when there are
bright light sources directly in the
operator's field of view. Windows are
often a source of direct glare.
2. Indirect glare occurs when light from
windows or overhead lighting is
reflected off shiny surfaces in the field
of view, such as terminal screens, desks
and other office equipment.
 Light from sources directly
overhead causes masking glare on
the screen, partly obscuring what
the operator is trying to focus on.
The window panes may be colored dark to
reduce the amount of illumination coming
through.
Horizontal or vertical louvers (‘miniblinds”) can
keep the light out. Vertical blind are best when
the sun is low, Horizontal blind when the sun is
high. Properly adjusted blind can screen out the
direct rays of the sun
 Curtain can be used to hinder direct sunlight
from entering the room.
Antireflection coating is occasionally used
 It reduces specular reflections from
the surface of the filter
 Disadvantage of coating are it can
be degraded by fingerprints
Hood – protrudes from top and the side of the
screen toward the operator can shield the
screen from ambient illumination
Sunglasses do not increase contrast but instead
reduce the luminous level of both the character
and the background
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are injuries
or pain in the body's joints, ligaments, muscles,
nerves, tendons, and structures that support
limbs, neck and back.
Parts of Body Affected by MSD’s
1. Arms
2. Back
3. Hands
4. Wrists
5. Fingers
6. Legs
7. Neck
8. Shoulder
Type of Job MSD’s occur
1. Manual handling,
2. Manufacturing and production,
3. Heavy lifting,
4. Twisting movements, and
5. Long hours of working in awkward positions.
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- Impingement of the
median nerve caused by irritation and swelling
of the tendons in the carpal tunnel
Symptoms include:
1. pain in the first three fingers and the
thumb
2. numbness in these areas
3. tingling in these areas
Raynaud’s Syndrome is when blood vessels
of the hand are damaged (narrowed) from
repeated exposure to vibration for long
periods of time
Also known as Vibration White Finger ;
Blood vessels of the hand are damaged
(narrowed) from repeated exposure to
vibration for long periods of time
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Symptoms
1. Numbness and tingling in the fingers
during vibration exposure; may
continue after exposure has been
discontinued
2. Blanching (whitening) of one fingertip
because of a temporary constriction of
blood flow
3. Other fingers also blanch
4. Intensity of pain & frequency of attacks
increase in time
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is caused by
resting the elbows on hard surfaces such as
unpadded tables or armrests.
The ulnar nerve, which feeds the ring and
little fingers, can become impaired from
pressure near the elbows.
 Symptoms include:
1. pain in the ring and little fingers
2. tingling in these areas
3. numbness in these areas
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is caused by
frequent reaching above shoulder level, by
carrying heavy objects, or poor posture
involving a forward head tilt.
A Neurovascular bundle called the brachial
plexus, which passes between the collar bone
and the top rib, can become impaired from
pressure associated with movements that
causes these two bones to be positioned close
together.
Symptoms include:
1. the arms “falling asleep”
2. weakened pulse
3. numbness in the fingers
Tendinitis is a common CTD for the wrist,
elbow, and shoulder. It occurs when we
continually stress the tendon cables,
causing them to become irritable and sore.
Symptoms include:
1. point tenderness
2. swelling
3. tennis elbow, pain radiates down to
back of hand
4. golfer’s elbow, pain radiates down to
back of hand
Lateral Epicondylitis - “Tennis elbow”
Medial Epicondylitis - “Golfer‟s elbow”
Tenosynovitis is swelling of the sheath that
covers the tendon from constant rubbing
against the tendon.
Symptoms include:
1. swelling
2. pain
3. loss of motion
4. loss of strength
Trigger Finger is a tendon disorder that
occurs when there is a groove in the flexing
tendon of the finger
Ganglion are noncancerous lumps that
most commonly develop along the tendons
or joints of your wrists or hands. They also
may occur in the ankles and feet.
 Ganglion are typically round or oval
and are filled with a jelly-like fluid.
De Quervain's tenosynovitis (dih-kwerVAINS
ten-oh-sine-oh-VIE-tis) is a painful condition
affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your
wrist. If you have de Quervain's tenosynovitis, it
will probably hurt every time you turn your
wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.
Guyon's canal syndrome is an entrapment of
the ulnar nerve as it passes through a tunnel in
the wrist called Guyon's canal. This problem is
similar to carpal tunnel syndrome but involves a
completely different nerve. Sometimes both
conditions can cause a problem in the same
hand.
Some Ergonomics Solution to MSD’s
1. Adjusting the height of working
surfaces,
2. Providing telephone headsets,
3. Supplying anti-fatigue mats,
4. Varying tasks,
5. Providing short breaks,
6. Reducing the weight and size of items
workers must lift,
7. Putting supplies and equipment within
easy reach of the worker,
8. Providing ergonomic chairs or stools,
and
9. Supplying the right tool for the job and
the right handle for the worker.