Ergo

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Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces,
products and systems so that they fit the people who use them.

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Most people have heard of ergonomics and think it is something to do
with seating or with the design of car controls and instruments and it
is but it is so much more. Ergonomics applies to the design of
anything that involves people workspaces, sports and
leisure, health and safety.

Ergonomics is a branch of science that aims to learn about human

abilities and limitations, and then apply this learning to improve peoples
interaction with products, systems and environments.

Ergonomics aims to improve workspaces and environments to minimize

risk of injury or harm. So as technologies change, so too does the need
to ensure that the tools we access for work, rest and play are designed
for our bodys requirements.

Advantages of Ergonomics

1. Ergonomics reduces costs. By systematically reducing ergonomic

risk factors, you can prevent costly MSDs. With approximately $1 out of
every $3 in workers compensation costs attributed to MSDs, this
represents an opportunity for significant cost savings. Also, dont forget
that cost can be up to twenty times the direct cost of an injury.

2. Ergonomics improves productivity. The best ergonomic solutions

will often improve productivity. By designing a job to allow for good
posture, less exertion, fewer motions and better heights and reaches, the
workstation becomes more efficient.

3. Ergonomics improves quality. Poor ergonomics leads to frustrated

and fatigued workers that dont do their best work. When the job task is
too physically taxing on the worker, they may not perform their job like
they were trained. For example, an employee might not fasten a screw
tight enough due to a high force requirement which could create a
product quality issue.

4. Ergonomics improves employee engagement. Employees notice

when the company is putting forth their best efforts to ensure their health
and safety. If an employee does not experience fatigue and discomfort
during their workday, it can reduce turnover, decrease absenteeism,
improve morale and increase employee involvement.

5. Ergonomics creates a better safety culture. Ergonomics shows your

companys commitment to safety and health as a core value. The
cumulative effect of the previous four benefits of ergonomics is a
stronger safety culture for your company. Healthy employees are your
most valuable asset; creating and fostering the safety & health culture at
your company will lead to better human performance for your
organization.

Disadvantages of Ergonomics
1. The working environment has to be changed all the time.
2. It is costly to change the designs of the environment to suit
peoples needs.
3. The study of ergonomics takes time and money to obtain scientific
information to be used to improve working conditions.