Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the field of study that seeks to fit the job to the person, rather
than the person to the job. This is achieved through the evaluation and
design of workplaces, environments, job tasks, equipment, and processes in
relationship to human capabilities and interactions in the workplace. Anytime
there is a change in the workplace (new employee, new chair, new desk),
new ergonomic solutions are required. It is important that all furniture
(chairs, desks) and other accessories are adjustable in order to meet
individual worker's needs, for no two people are alike. Ergonomics covers the
entire work area, including issues regarding the chair, workstation, and
lighting.
Effective use of ergonomic practices will assist in maintaining high levels of
productivity, avoiding painful and costly employee injuries, and increasing
worker satisfaction. By designing the job around the person, employees will
have a decreased risk of injury and an improved perception of their
"employee-centered" role at work.

Importance
Ergonomics is important because when youre doing a job and your body is
stressed by an awkward posture, extreme temperature, or repeated
movement your musculoskeletal system is affected. Your body may begin to
have symptoms such as fatigue, discomfort, and pain, which can be the first
signs of a musculoskeletal disorder.
Types of Ergonomics:
Cognitive ergonomics is concerned with mental processes such as
perception, memory, reasoning and motor response as they affect
interactions among humans and other elements of a system. Relevant topics
include mental workload, decision-making, skilled performance, humancomputer interaction, human reliability, work stress and training as these
may relate to human-system and human-computer interaction design.
Environmental ergonomics is concerned with human interaction with the
environment. The physical environment is characterized by climate,
temperature, pressure, vibration, light.
Advantages:
1. Increased savings

Fewer injuries
More productive and sustainable employees

Fewer workers compensation claims

The average direct cost of a workers compensation claim for an MSD is
$14,120 (Oregon OSHA 2007)
The indirect costs involved bring the total average claim cost to well
over $32,000

2. Fewer employees experiencing pain

Implementing ergonomic improvements can reduce the risk factors

that lead to discomfort.

3. Increased productivity

Ergonomic improvements can reduce the primary risk factors for MSDs,
so workers are more efficient, productive, and have greater job
satisfaction.

4. Increased morale

Attention to ergonomics can make employees feel valued because they

know their employer is making their workplace safer.

5. Reduced absenteeism

Ergonomics leads to healthy and pain-free workers who are more likely
to be engaged and productive.

Ergonomics Principles:
Proper Seating Adjustments

First adjust the chair height for the user and then adjust the work
surface to accommodate the chair.
When working at the keyboard, adjust the seat pan height so that your
elbows are the same height as the home row of the keyboard and so
the wrists are neutral while typing.
Adjust the height of the seat pan so that the highest point of the seat is
just below the kneecap.
For adequate thigh support, adjust the depth of the seat by moving the
backrest forward and backward so that the clearance between the
front edge of the seat and the lower part of the legs fits comfortably.
Adjust the armrest height so that your elbows rest lightly on the
armrests with your upper arms straight up and down and your
forearms horizontal or slightly downward.

Adjust the height of the backrest so that it supports the small of the
lower back. Note: back of chair should not give when the user leans
back in the chair.
Feet should rest flat on the floor. If your feet do not rest flat on the floor
after properly adjusting your chair, a footrest should be used.

Preventing Posture Problems

Ensure that your chair and workstation are adjusted properly.

Place frequently used items within an easy arms reach and items that
are used less often further away.
Avoid long periods of working in one position and repeating the same
motions.
Vary tasks to change body position.
Eliminate monitor glare by properly positioning your desk
(perpendicular to window) and adjusting your lighting for specific tasks.

Proper Work Surface Setup

The work surface should be installed/adjusted to be approximately 25

- 34 high for seated work and to fit a range of operator sizes (ensure
that adjustments can be made easily).
The space beneath the work surface should have sufficient room above
your legs to allow for a range of body postures. The knee well should
be 30 by 19 deep.
The work surface should have adequate space for equipment (monitor,
telephone, and stapler, tape dispenser) to be located close to the user
to minimize bending, flexing, or twisting of arms, wrists, or hands.
A matte finish on the work surface is ideal to reduce light reflection.
The keyboard and mouse should be placed together on a platform that
is at least 28 wide, directly in front of you and directly beneath the
monitor.
The keyboard and mouse platform should easily move side to side, up
and down, in and out, and lock securely in place.
The height of the keyboard/mouse platform should allow your hands to
rest lightly on keyboard or mouse with your forearms using the chair
armrests for support.

Storage Location

Materials should be stored in an accessible area (between 15 - 48

above floor).
Storage areas should allow 30 x 48 clear maneuvering space and
accommodate right or left-hand access.

Stored materials should have labels facing out with instructions,

symbols, or color-coding.

Proper Lighting

Overhead light may cause glare and can be reduced by the use of a
panel diffuser (diffuser should direct the light straight down rather than
out across the room).
Lighting with a dimmer control should be used with supplemental task
lighting.
Task lighting is designed to boost lighting levels in a highly localized
area, so that overall lighting can be reduced to cut glare.
Reduce direct sunlight by placing blinds or curtains on all windows.
Cover polished work surfaces with pads or blotters to reduce glare.
Reposition the angle and/or slope of the computer screen to reduce
glare.
A non-glare screen overlay should be considered to reduce unwanted
glare.

ANTHROPOMETRY:
Anthropometry is literally translated as measurement of humans. As with all
design sciences that involve measurement of physical properties, there are
accepted, standardized techniques concerning who to measure? What to
measure? How to measure it? Understanding the principles of anthropometry
can forestall employee health problems, lost work time and even litigation.
TYPES OF ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA:
Anthropometry deals with the measurement of the dimensions and certain
other physical characteristics of the body; such measurements are of course
relevant to the design of the things people use. There are two primary types:
structural (static) and functional (dynamic) measurement. What is
sometimes called engineering anthropometry is concerned with the
application of both types of data to the design of the things people use.
There are two types of body measurements:

Static
Dynamic

Static dimensions are measurements taken when the body is in a static

position (fixed).
These consist of:
Skeletal dimensions (between dimensions of joints)

Contour dimensions (skin surface dimensions).

Body measurements vary as a function of age, sex and for different
countries. Also there are differences in anthropometrics of male and female.
Dynamic dimensions are taken under conditions in which the body is
engaged in some physical activity. Functional anthropometric data are useful
for designing workspaces and positioning objects within them, particularly in
the design of aircraft cockpits, crane cabs, vehicle interiors and complex
control panels in the process industries.
APPLICATIONS:

Today, anthropometry plays an important role in industrial design,

clothing design, ergonomics and architecture where statistical data
about the distribution of body dimensions in the population are used to
optimize products. Changes in life styles, nutrition and ethnic
composition of populations lead to changes in the distribution of body
dimensions and require regular updating of anthropometric data
collections.
In addition to its scholarly functions, anthropometry also has
commercial applications. Anthropometric data have been used by
industrial researchers in the design of clothing, especially military
uniforms and in the engineering, for example automobile seats,
airplane cockpits and space capsules.
Anthropometry deals with the measurements of the dimensions and
certain other physical characteristics of the body such as volumes
center of gravity, inertial properties and masses of body segments.
Anthropometrics is the comparative study of human body
measurements and properties. Ergonomics is the science of making
the work environment safer and more comfortable for workers using
design and anthropometric data.

EXPERIMENT # 3
TO

MEASURE THE INTENSITY OF LIGHT AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS

&

DO

RECOMMENDATIONS TO STANDARDIZE IT.

LIGHT INTENSITY:
Light Intensity is the number of photons or packets of energy falling on a
certain area within some time interval.

RADIANCE:
Total visible light emitted by a source in all directions. Its unit is Lumens.
LUMEN:
It is a measure of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source.
1 lumen = light emitted by an average candle
LUX:
Lux is a measure of intensity of light that hits or passes a certain surface. It
is defined as a unit lumen passing per unit area from a 1 m source distance.
FOOT CANDLE:
It is a unit of measure of the intensity of light falling on a surface equal to 1
lumen per square foot.
1 lux = 10.75 foot candle

APPARATUS
Light meter OR Lux meter

OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS

Location

Measured
(lux)
Corridor 295
Laborato 64
ry
Outside 6900

Value Standard
(lux)
100
500

Effects of inefficient lighting

Chances of Accidents
Inaccuracy
Lack of Concentration

10000

Value

Difference
(lux)
195
436
3100

Eyesight Damage

SOURCES OF LIGHTING
NATURAL

Sun
Sun stars
Thunder Lightning

ARTIFICIAL

Fire
Fluorescent Lights
Incandescent Lights
Neon Lights
Light Emitting Diodes
Halogen Bulbs
Lasers

EXPERIMENT # 4
TO MEASURE THE SOUND LEVEL AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS & GIVE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO STANDARDISE IT

APPARATUS
Sound meter

OBSERVATIONS & CALCULATIONS

Location
Laboratory
Classroom
Corridor
Road

Measured
(dB)
59.9
60.5
57.1
73.1

Value

Standard
(dB)
58.0
40.0
53.0
65.0

Value Difference
(dB)
1.9
20.5
4.1
8.1

EFFECTS OF NOISE

Hearing Problems
Health Issues
Sleeping Disorders
Cardiovascular Issues
Trouble Communicating
Effect on Wildlife

RECOMMENDATIONS TO DECREASE SOUND LEVEL

Avoid Extra Doors and Windows, and if these are to be used then the
windows should be double glazed and doors should be sound proof to
prevent any outside sound from coming in. This can be applied in our
Laboratory to decrease the sound intensity.
Use of Sound Dampers outside the buildings to prohibit sound from
coming in. This can be applied to Classrooms and our Laboratory.
Anti-Noise Generator can be applied which generates frequencies such
that they interfere with noise and dampen them. These should be
applied in University premises to prevent incoming sound from the
road.
The Design of Building must provide Minimum Echo to the listener. This
can be applied to our Laboratory, Classrooms and Corridors.