Ergonomic

Hazards

Prepared by: Dr Nurlidia Mansor

 Learning Outcome

ØDefinition
ØPhysical and psychological aspects of job
ØIdentify ergonomics problems
ØInjuries
ØBenefits of ergonomics
ØRecommendations for work conditions
 WHAT IS “ERGONOMICS”?

• Ergos = work
• Nomos = laws
• Ergonomics = the laws of work
 What Does Ergonomics Mean?
• Ergonomics is the scientific
discipline concerned with the fit
between people and their work.
It puts people first, taking
account of their capabilities and
limitations

• It considers body dimensions,

mobility, and the body’s stress
behaviour

• Aims to make sure the tasks,

equipment, information and the
environment fit each other
The idea behind ergonomics is to adapt the
work environment to the worker rather than
adapt the worker to their environment
 How can ergonomics and human
factors improve health and safety?

• Applying ergonomics to the workplace can:

• Reduce the potential for accidents
• Reduce the potential for injury and ill health such
as aches, pains and damage to the wrists, shoulders
& back pains
• Improve performance and productivity
Ergonomics is the scientific discipline
concerned with the fit between
people and their work.

To assess the fit, a range of factors

need to be considered,
including:

• The job/task being done

• The individual’s physical and
psychological characteristics
• Design of tasks
 The job/task being done

• The demands on the worker (activities, workload,

shift work and fatigue)

• The equipment used (its design in terms of size,

shape and how appropriate it is for the task)

• The physical environment (temperature, humidity,

lighting, noise, vibration)

Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned

with the fit between people and their work.
 The individual’s physical and
psychological characteristics
• Body size and shape
• Fitness and strength
• Posture
• The sense (vision, hearing and touch)
• Mental abilities
• Personality
• Knowledge
• Training
• Experience
Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned
with the fit between people and their work.
 Design of tasks
• Work demands are too high or too
low
• Badly designed machinery guards
(awkward to use or requiring
additional effort) slow down the
work
• Conflicting demands, e.g. high
productivity and quality
• These problems can lead the
employees failing to follow
procedures or removing guards,
causing accidents, injury and ill
health
Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with
the fit between people and their work.
Manual handling
(Lifting/Carrying)
• The load
• Is too heavy and/or bulky (placing unreasonable demands on the person
• has to be lifted from the floor and/or above the shoulders
• can’t be gripped properly
• The job
• involves frequent repetitive lifting
• requires awkward postures, such as bending or twisting
• is performed on uneven, wet, or sloping floor surfaces
• is performed under time pressures and doesn’t include enough rest
breaks

• These problems may lead to physical injuries, such as back pain, or injury to
the arms, hands, or fingers
Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned
with the fit between people and their work.
Work-Related Musculoskeletal
Disorders (MSDs)

Work-Related Musculoskeletal
Disorders (MSDs) are
occupational disorders that
involve soft tissues such as
muscles, tendons, ligaments,
joints, blood vessels and nerves
 WORK-RELATED
MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
• Work-related back pain
and injuries are the most
common musculoskeletal
disorders (MSDs) caused
by manual handling
Lifting Biomechanics & Back Pain

Lifting/carrying heavy
object is a forceful task
 The Forces Involved

• The amount of force you

place on your back in lifting
may surprise you!

Fulcrum
• Think of your back as a lever
- with the fulcrum in the
center, it only takes 5 kg of
force to lift a 5 kg object
 The Forces Involved

If you shift the fulcrum to High

one side, it takes much
more force to lift the same
Force
object. Your waist acts like
the fulcrum in a lever
system, on a 10:1 ratio

Lifting a 5 kg object puts Fulcrum

50 kg of force on your
lower back
 The Forces Involved

When you add in the

45 kg of the average 550 kg
human upper torso
(upper body), you 45 kg
see that lifting a 10 kg
object actually puts Fulcrum

550 kg of force on
the lower back!

(45 kg + 10 kg) x 10 = 550 kg

 The Forces Involved

600 kg
If you were 5 kg overweight,
it would add an additional
50 kg of force on 50 kg
your back every time you Fulcrum
bend to lift an object!

Extra 5 kg x 10 = 50 kg
 Team Lifting

• If one person can lift 40 kg object:

• How much can two (2) person of similar height and
build lift?
• How much can three (3) person of similar height
and build lift?

• Note: Double the people DOES NOT MEAN double

the capacity
 Team Lifting

• If one person can lift 40 kg object:

• How much can two (2) person of similar height and
build lift?
• (40 kg x 70%) x 2 = 56 kg

• How much can three (3) person of similar height

and build lift?
• (40 kg x 50%) x 3 = 60 kg
 An example of adjusting workplace
to be more ergonomic friendly

ØScreen poorly positioned, too high/low, close/far from you

ØMouse placed too far away, you have to stretch
ØChairs not adjustable
ØScreen glare, eye strain/fatigue
ØNot suitable hard and software for the task or person using
them
ØNot enough breaks or changes of activity
 Ergonomics at Workplace

Risk of injury - Heavy lifting Cart reduces risk of injury

 What difference does ergonomics
make? What will it improve?
Ø Reduce the potential of accidents

Ø Reduce the potential of injury and ill health

Ø Reduce workers’ compensation costs

Ø Reduce absenteeism and turnover

Ø Improves performance and productivity

Ø Increased efficiency at work

Ø Increased physical well being

Ø Increase in employee morale

 Learning Outcome

ØDefinition
ØPhysical and psychological aspects of job
ØIdentify ergonomics problems
ØInjuries
Stay
ØBenefits of ergonomics Safe!
ØRecommendations for work conditions
Brought to you by
UTP HSE MOOCs TEAM