APPLICATION OF

APPLICATION
ERGONOMICS  IN
IN INDUSTRY

Speaker
DR.S.N.NAYAK, MD
INSPECTOR OF FACTORIES
M e d I c a l
 Ergonomics was invented in 1857and was
understood as “a scientific approach enabling us to
reap for the benefit of ourselves and others, the
best fruits of life’s labour for the minimum effort
fruits of life’s labour for the minimum effort and
maximum satisfaction”

The world ‘ERGONOMICS’ was coined

from two Greek words ergon(work and
nomos(R!le or "aw
DEFINITION:

!he international labour review in 1"#1

defined ergonomics as “!he application of the
human biological science in con$unction with the
engineering sciences to achieve the optimum
mutual ad$ustment of man and his wor%, the
benefits being measured in terms of human
efficienc& and well being”
PRINCIPLES:

Ergonomic Principles and the objectives

are adaptation of the work to the worker and
the worker to adopt to the work sitation!
"t emphasis shold be given in design of
improved work spots# work methods and
e$ipment! %he benefits that can be
e&pected from application of ergonomics in
Indstr' are(

More efficient operation

Feer accident
!oer co"t of prod#ction
Red#ced trainin$ ti%e
Effecti&e deplo'%ent of per"onnel
Red#ction in p('"ical "tre"" on orker"
 PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATION:

The human-body can endure considerable discomfort

and stress and can still perform work in many awkward
and unnatural positions and adverse conditions but for
a limited period of time. To ease discomfort during
 work to minimise fatigue and to improve efficiency of
 workers, ergonomic principles are applied. The
principles should suit to the man-machine-
environment system in any Industry.
 AIM OF APP!ICATION

To facilitate a person to do or! efficientl"#

To ens$re t%at &ec%anical or! is done it%
&ini&al $se of ener'" and &aterials it%o$t
aste ca$sed d$e to &ista!es#
To ens$re safet" and %ealt% of &an at or!#
To de(elop !noled'e and tec%ni)$es t%at
ill i&pro(e t%e tec%nolo'" f$rt%er#
 S C ) P E

:
+an and +achine partnership!

:
It deals with seat design# work bench
design# positioning of displa's# controls
and materials!

:
Is concerned with ensring that the#
heating# ventilation noise# vibration and
so are appropriate to the re$irements of
the hman operator!
 :
,ispla' design deals with design of
scales# pointers# letters# nmbers and the
si3e positioning and groping of
instrments!

:
,eals with hors of work# rest porers#
shift work# interpersonal relationship and
organisational aspects of work!

0ll these designs can be aimed at

particlar kinds of people engaged in
particlar tasks in an' Indstr'!
.)R/ SP0CE 0RR0N-E+EN%

Avoidance of all stooping(bending) and

unnatural body positions.

Extended position of arms constantly either

forward or side ward should be avoided.

Always prefer sitting position at work.

Avoid standing.

 The arms should move together or in

opposite direction.
Er$ono%ic A"pect of )and and *ri"t

To $ra"p  c'lindricall' or
"p(ericall'
To pinc(  -' tip pre""#re, -' p#lp
To (ook  pre""#re or -' lateral
pre""#re
CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS

Tenosynoritis
De Quervain’s disease
Trigger finger
Tendinitis
Tenis elo!
Car"al Tunnel Syndro#e
Raynaud’s Syndro#e
S"a$e invaders !rist
ERGONOMIC ASPECT OF FOOT

LOW BACK PAIN

CONTROL THROUGH HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING

Straight Back Rule

Bell Butt!" Rule
S#i"gi"g Ar$ Rule
Straight Ar$ Rule
Straight Wri%t Rule
Ee Rule
Ski" Rule
Thi"k Fir%t Rule
N! Brai" Machi"e Rule
 STRAIGHT BACK RULE

 Forces which come down the spine compresses

the inter-vertebr! discs nd d"e to contin"o"s #
repetitive s$"ee%in& the' cn r"pt"re nd b"!&e
o"t prod"cin& severe pin(
 This he!ps to desi&n methods to minimi%e the
)orces on these discs(
 To void s"ch )orces* one sho"!d "se pe!vic ti!t
b' p"!!in& the stomch m"sc!es(
 It co"!d be done with +eepin& the bc+ stri&ht
nd bendin& the !e&s(
 ,hen seted  s"pport )or the bc+ to +eep the
m"sc!es w' )rom &ettin& )ti&"ed sho"!d be
"sed(
 E!!Y /TTON R/!E
Lods tht re he!d* !i)ted or crried sho"!d be
+ept ner the be!!' b"tton(

' The wei&ht o) . po"nds !od ne/t to the be!!'

b"tton 0 bo"t 12 w' )rom spine 3 e/erts 45.
6o"nds where s when wei&ht is moved o"t 742
)rom the be!!' b"tton* it wo"!d be 4.2 w' )rom the
spine nd the spine wi!! now be 8.. 6o"nds(

' There)ore* the wor+ p!ce nd methods sho"!d be

desi&ned so tht wor+ re$"irin& the "se o) rms is
c!ose to the be!!' b"tton(

' ,hen the rm is e/tended in per)ormin&  ts+

the m"sc!es o) the rm cnnot wor+ to the best o)
their cpbi!it'(
 S#INGING $RM R%"E

Methods and work 'laces sho!ld e

designed to 'romote workers to !se nat!ral
mo)ements and sho!ld not e forced to
mo)e loads with hands or arms in a
straight line*

$ nat!ral swing of arms take ++ , less

m!scle strain than mo)ing the arm in a
straight line*

-ositi)e ste's sho!ld e !sed to sto' load

mo)ements rather than to !se m!scle
'ower*
 STRAIG*T +RIST RULE

  -o.s re)$irin' repetiti(e p$s%in' or p$llin'/

t%$&. s%o$ld .e $sed in stead of an" of t%e
&iddle fin'ers#
  -o.s re)$irin' 'raspin' &o(e&ent for t%e
%and s%o$ld .e desi'ned in s$c% a fas%ion/ so
t%at t%ere is no .endin' of t%e rist %ile
perfor&in' t%e 0o.#
 Contin$o$s .endin' of rist can lead to t%e
disorder li!e carpal t$nnel s"ndro&e#
 So&e tools s$c% as %a&&ers/ pliers etc %a(e
.een desi'ned it% a s$ita.le .end in t%eir
%andles/ so t%at t%e" can .e $sed it% rist
strai'%t#
EYE RULE +or! place .e so desi'ned t%at t%e
or!ers can see all t%e t%in's to .e seen li!e 'a$'es/
control and &aterial etc# it%o$t $nd$e %ead
&o(e&ent#

S1IN RULE T%e or! area s%o$ld .e free fro&

o.str$ction and t%ere s%o$ld not .e a concentrated
press$re on s&all s!in areas#
+%ere e(er it is fo$nd t%at t%e or!ers $sed a tape
or a clot% o(er t%e part of t%e &ac%ine %ile
operatin' / it &eans t%at t%is place of &ac%ine is
%$rtin' %i& .eca$se of t%e acc$&$lated press$re on
a partic$lar part of t%e s!in#
T%is needs i&&ediate attention to .e c%an'ed so
t%at t%e or!s are it%o$t an" o.str$ction#
T%e T%in! First R$le
*$&an tendenc" is to ta!e a s%ort2c$t or do so&e
t%in' t%at is eas" rat%er t%an safe# T%is s%o$ld .e
a(oided#
No 3rain Mac%ine R$le
At t%e ti&e of desi'nin' 0o. or &ac%ines it s%o$ld .e
ta!en into consideration t%at if t%e or!er did not
t%in! %en %e 4 s%e perfor&ed t%e tas! co$ld %e4s%e
'et %$rt 5 If anser is "es/ necessar" c%an'e in
desi'nin' is indicated# S$fficient statistics on t%e
n$&.er of or!ers s$fferin' it% (ario$s disorder
d$e to i&proper desi'nin' of t%e &ac%ines or t%e or!
place are lac!in' .$t t%e lin!ed data clearl" indicate
a.o$t t%e serio$sness of t%e sit$ation/ role of %$&an
factors en'ineerin' in t%eir pre(ention#
 CONCLUSION

ERG9:9;ICS hs emer&ed o"t s n importnt brnch

o) science in the ind"stri! wor!d( It hs  !imited
pp!iction in ind"str' prtic"!r!' in the deve!opin&
co"ntries( However in never ind"stries the er&onomic
spects re considered )rom the desi&n st&e itse!)(
,hi!e p!nnin& )or wor+-spce* e$"ipment nd interior
rrn&ements etc( The techno!o&ic! pro&ress wi!!
increse its pp!iction in vrio"s )ie!ds in )"t"re on
cco"nt o) hi&her thr"st &iven on prod"ction o) $"!it'
&oods with !ess h"mn error( Since mn nd mchine
re!tionship hve to be optimised in most o) the
ind"stries* the er&onomic spect cnnot be !ost site o)
n' more in comin& decde(