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Chapter 6
Workplace Environment
And Ergonomics

CONTENTS

 Describe the history of ergonomics

4.1.1 State the history of ergonomics
4.1.2 Define statutory requirements
related to ergonomics in OSHA 1994
4.1.3 Determine objectives of
ergonomics

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CONTENTS (CONT)

 Understand workstation design

principle
4.2.1 Illustrate sitting work position
4.2.2 Illustrate standing work
position

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CONTENTS (CONT)
 Understand ergonomic risk
4.3.1 Explain Musculo-Skeletal-Disorders
(MSD)
 Understand Workplace Environment
4.4.1 Explain indoor air quality and its effect
on the respiratory system
4.4.2 Measure lighting and sightedness
4.4.3 Measure temperature and humidity
4.4.4 Measure noise and hearing quality
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CONTENTS (CONT)

 Appreciate the proper and safe methods of

ergonomics in the workplace
4.5.1 Practice the proper and safe
methods of ergonomics in the workplace
including working position, workplace
design, standing bench and computer
arrangement.
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HISTORY OF ERGONOMICS

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BACKGROUND
 • Ergonomics derives from two Greek words:
ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural
laws.
 Combined they create a word that means the
science of work and a person’s relationship to that
work.

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 In application ergonomics is a discipline focused on

making products and tasks comfortable and efficient
for the user.

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DEFINITION OF ERGONOMICS

 Ergonomics is defined as the science related to man and

his work, embodying the anatomic, physiologic, and
mechanical principles affecting the efficient use of human
energy.

 Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline

concerned with the understanding of interactions among
humans and other elements of a system, and the
profession that applies theory, principles, data and
methods to design in order to optimize human well-being
and overall system performance.

Source : International Ergonomics Association

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HISTORY OF ERGONOMICS
 The term "ergonomics" has its roots in Ramazzani’s study
on ill-effect of poorly design tools on health of worker in
the 1700s.
 1949-The term "ergonomics" was adopted at national
ergonomics society in England was founded.
 1961-International Ergonomics Association was founded.
 In 1857, Wojciech Jastrzebowski created the word
"ergonomics" in a narrative he wrote about the science
of nature.
 World War II in 1943, an Army officer, Alphonse Chapanis,
learned that if the control layouts in the cockpits of
planes were simplified, the pilots made fewer errors
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HISTORY OF ERGONOMICS (cont)

 After World War II , ergonomics not only in
productivity, but also the safety of the workers.
 Research take place in various areas:
- the affect of heavy labor on the heart;
- the maximum loads that should be pulled,
pushed or carried;
- the amount of muscle force that should be
required to perform

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JKM POLITEKNIK KOTA KINABALU

STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS

Statutory requirements related to ergonomics

in OSHA 1994.
 Part IV-General Duties Of Employers And Self-
Employed Persons
 Part V-General Duties Of Designers,
Manufacturers And Supplier
 Part VI-General Duties Of Employees

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OBJECTIVES OF ERGONOMICS
 Methods to do things quicker, more efficiently and at the
same time, reduce as much physical and emotional stress as
possible.
 The less strain we feel on our bodies, the easier for us to do
the tasks.
 Able to do more work, accomplished in the same amount of
time.
 Approach used to obtain an effective match between
worker and work system to optimize;
Efficiency
Quality
Safety
Health
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SEATING & STANDING

POSITION

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SITTING WORK POSITION

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STANDING WORK POSITION

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Musculo-Skeletal-Disorders (MSD)
 Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are disorders of the
muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and
spinal discs.
 MSDs do not include disorders caused by slips, trips, falls,
motor vehicle accidents, or similar accidents.
Examples of MSDs include
 carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff syndrome, de
Quervain's disease, trigger finger, tarsal tunnel syndrome,
sciatica, epicondylitis, tendinitis, Raynaud's phenomenon,
carpetlayers‘ knee, herniated spinal disc, and low back pain.

SOURCE: U.S. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH

ADMINISTRATION

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Types of Disorder/Injury MSD

 repetitive strain injury (RSI)
 cumulative trauma disorder (CTD)
 work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD)
 musculoskeletal injury (MSI, MSK)
 occupational overuse syndrome
 (OOS), and
 sprain and strain.

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COMMON CAUSES OF MUSCO

SKELETAL DISORDERS

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INDOOR AIR QUALITY

(IAQ)
 Good indoor air quality (IAQ) is required for a healthy
indoor work environment.
 Poor indoor air quality can cause a variety of short-term
and long-term health problems.
 Health problems commonly associated with poor IAQ
include allergic reactions, respiratory problems, eye
irritation, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
 IAQ problems occur in buildings that are served by a
mechanical ventilating and air conditioning (MVAC)
system including air-cooled split unit. IAQ problems can
be due to indoor air pollutants or to inadequate
ventilation.
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Acceptable range for specific

physical parameters

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List of indoor air contaminants and

the acceptable limits

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List of indoor air contaminants and

the acceptable limits

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SOURCES OF POOR IAQ

 IAQ problems can be due to indoor air contaminants or to
inadequate pollution controls despite otherwise normal or
baseline rates of ventilation.
 Sources of indoor air pollutions are from different origins –
(a) the occupants themselves (such as exhaled carbon dioxide
gas);
(b) inadequate materials or materials with technical defects
used in the construction of the building;
(c) the work performed within (such as cleaning of carpet);
(d) excessive or improper use of normal products (pesticides,
disinfectants, products used for cleaning and polishing);
(e) combustion gases (such as from smoking); and
(f) cross-contamination coming from other poorly ventilated
zones.

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HEALTH EFFECTS DUE TO IAQ

The health effects due to IAQ can be categorized as follows-
(a) health effects due to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS);
- ETS is defined as substances in indoor air arising from
tobacco smoke. The main source of ETS is cigarette smoking.
ETS comprises smoke that is generated from the combustion
of cigarette in between puff (main components) and also
comprises smoke that is exhaled out by the smoker
(b) Sick building syndrome (SBS);
-“Sick building syndrome” is the name that has commonly
been used for illnesses that occur among occupants as a
result of poor indoor air quality in building

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HEALTH EFFECTS DUE TO IAQ (cont)

(c) Building related illnesses (BRI); and
A number of well-identified illnesses, such as Legionnaires’
disease, asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and humidifier
fever, have been directly traced to specific building problems

(d) Legionnaire’s disease

Legionnaires’ disease is one of the building-related illnesses. It is
a form of bacterial pneumonia that is characterized by fever,
chills and dry cough associated with muscle aches and occasional
diarrhea. Legionnaire’ disease acquired its name when people
attending an American Legion’s convention in Philadelphia in
July 1976 were affected by the disease.

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LIGHTING

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COLOURS

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OFFICE FLOORS SPACE

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The End…..

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