Lecturer : Marini Abdul Ghafar

Ergonomics

Introduction to ergonomics

Chapter 1

1.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?The application of scientific principles, methods,

and data drawn from a variety of disciplines to the development of engineering systems, which people play a significant role.

Ergonomics also known as man-machine interface.

Wojciech Jastrzebowski (1857) was the first to define and use the concept of ergonomics. He is a Polish scholar, philosopher & naturalist, described ergonomics as:

The Science of Work, deriving the word ‘ergonomics’ from the Greekwords: ergon meaning work, and nomos meaning principle or law.

1.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?Board of Certification in Professional

Ergonomics (BCPE,1997) had expanded Jastrzebowski’s concept:

Ergonomics is a body of knowledge about human abilities, human’s limitations and other human characteristics that are relevant to the design. Ergonomic design is the application of this body of knowledge to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs and environment for safe, comfortable and effective human use.

1.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?Ergonomic’s basic disciplines -

psychology, cognitive science, physiology, biomechanics, applied physical anthropometry, and industrial systems engineering.

Ergonomics involved with system design process.

1.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?Ergonomic’s basic disciplines -

psychology, cognitive science, physiology, biomechanics, applied physical anthropometry, and industrial systems engineering.

Ergonomics involved with system design process.

National Research Council (USA, 1983): Design begins with an understanding of the user's role in overall system performance and that systems exist to serve their users.

Users consumers, system operators, production workers or maintenance crews.

User-oriented design philosophy-human variability as a design parameter.

Success in design-measured by improved productivity, efficiency, safety &acceptance of there resultant system design.

1.1 WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?

Hierarchy of goals in ergonomics:

To generate ‘tolerable‘ working conditions-no danger to human life or health.

To generate 'acceptable‘ conditions –people involved canvoluntarily agree according to scientific or related knowledge.

To generate 'optimal‘ conditions-well adapted to human characteristics & capabilities.

Ergonomics has two distinct aspects:Study, research, and experimentation-

determine specific characteristics to know in engineering design.

Application & engineering-designing tools, machines, environment, worktasks and job procedures to fit and accommodate to human.

1.2 ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED PRODUCT… When selecting a product, one must have

a particular use in mind before determining, which product will be best fit.

Determining the fit, will require consideration of the tasks to be performed, which includes the population of people that will interact with the product, and the physical abilities the product and tasks will require.

1.2 ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED PRODUCT…A product maybe ergonomically designed

for as specific application and to reduce one or more commonly understood ergonomic risk factors.

One need to select products that match the characteristics of required operations and the people who use the products.

Ergonomic risk factors, such as high forces, awkward postures, repetition, vibration,etc.

1.3 DESIGNING FOR PEOPLEEnsuring that the world created by man will

fit man has two parts:(i)Designing for man in the working environment.

(ii)Designing products to suitman.

Both the set asks require knowledge of the possible variation in physical sizes and capability among all human beings (i.e. men and women).