Ergonomics

Lecturer : Marini Abdul Ghafar

Chapter 1
Introduction to ergonomics

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

Jastrzebowskis concept:

Ergonomics is a body of knowledge about

human abilities, humans 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?

Ergonomics 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?

Ergonomics 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?

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.

Hierarchy of goals in
To generate tolerable working conditionsergonomics:
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

Study, research, and experimentationaspects:

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

PEOPLE
Ensuring 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).