Ergonomics

(Human Factors in Job Design)

Prof.P.T.SRINIVASAN

1
 DEFINITION
• The term “ergonomics” is derived from two Greek
words: “ergon”, meaning work and “nomoi”,
meaning natural laws. Ergonomists study human
capabilities in relationship to work demands.

• Ergonomics is the science of designing the job,

equipment, and workplace to fit the worker.
Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent
repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over
time and can lead to long-term disability.

2
 The International Ergonomics
Association defines ergonomics
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.

3
Ergonomics is employed to fulfill the two
goals of health and productivity. It is relevant
in the design of such things as safe furniture
and easy-to-use interfaces to machines.

4
 ERGONOMICS OR
BIOMECHANICS
• Ergonomics is described as the study of
relationship between Man and his working
environment. It also deals with man-machine
relationship.

5
 LIMITATIONS OF PEOPLE AS
PRODUCTIVE ELEMENTS
 People cant apply large amount of physical force.
 People cant perform rapidly simple and repetitive movements
without fatigue and mistakes.
 People cant perform complex calculations rapidly.
 People cant do several different tasks simultaneously.
 People cant respond rapidly to frequently changing control
signals.
 People cant store and recall large unrelated data.
 People cant function satisfactorily in working environment
where heart is beyond the normal limit.

6
 LIMITATIONS OF MACHINE
• Machines cant respond to wide range stimuli
beyond predetermined limits.
• Machines cant respond to unpredictable
events.
• Machines cant think inductively.
• Machines cant act with flexibility.
• Machines cant function beyond normal limits
of capacity.

7
 13 of 53

MAN-MACHINE SYSTEM
INFORMATION STORAGE

SENSING(RECEIVING INFORMATION EFFECTOR

INPUT OUTPUT
INFORMATION) PROCESSING (ACTION OR
(COMPARISON, CONTROL FUNCTION
INTERPRETATION,
DECISION,
COMMAND,
EFFECTOR)

INFORMATION FEEDBACK CONSERNING OUTPUT STATES

8
TYPES OF MACHINE SYSTEM

• MANUAL SYSTEM
• SEMI AUTOMATIC SYSTEM
• AUTOMATIC SYSTEM

9
EXAMPLE FOR MAN-M/C SYSTEMS
WASHING M/C
• MANUAL WASHING
M/C(FIG(1) FIG(1)

• SEMI-AUTOMATIC M/C FIG(2)

FIG(2)

• FULLY AUTOMATIC M/C FIG(3)

FIG(3)

10
 EFFICIENCY OF MAN MACHINE SYSTEM IS
AFFECTED BY THE FOLLOWING
• Design of physical devices-Display panels,
controls i.e. user friendly
• Work environment.
1)Temperature and Humidity
2)Noise
3)light or illumination
4)color
5)vibration
• Ability and motivation of operator.
11
 QUESTIONS ASKED BY M/C
DESIGNER
• For man or women
• Can operator sit or stand
• Will his posture in work be satisfactorily
• What are the controls needed?
• What physical work will the operator do?
• Will he need mechanical assistance.
• What will be the ambient conditions?
• What are the maintance requirements?
• Will the design promote worker participation.

12
 Principles of Motion Economy
(a check list for motion economy and
fatigue reduction)
• There are twenty-two rules
• These can be applied to shop and office work
• All rules are not applicable to every operation
• But, they form the basis for improving
efficiency and reducing fatigue in manual
work

13
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Use of the Human Body)
• The two hands should begin and also
complete their motion at the same time
• Hands should not be idle at the same time
• Motions of the arms should be in opposite
and symmetrical directions and be made
simultaneously
• Hand motions should be confined to the
lowest classification to perform the work
satisfactorily
14
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Use of the Human Body)
• Momentum should be employed to assist the
worker; it should be minimum to overcome
muscular effort
• Smooth continuous motions of the hands are
preferable to zigzag motions
• Ballistic movements are faster, easier, and
accurate than controlled movements

15
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Use of the Human Body)

• Rhythm is essential for smooth and automatic

performance of an operation; work should be
arranged to permit easy and natural rhythm

16
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Arrangement of the Work Place)
• Have a definite and fixed place for all tools
and materials
• Tools, materials, and controls should be
located close to and in front of the operator
• Gravity feedbins and containers should be
used to deliver materials close to the point of
use

17
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Arrangement of the Work Place)

• Drop deliveries should be used whenever

possible
• Materials and tools to be located to permit the
best sequence of motions
• Provisions for adequate seeing; good illumination
for visual perception

18
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Arrangement of the Work Place)

• Height of the work place and the chair should

be should be arranged so that sitting and
standing are easily possible
• A chair of the type and height to permit good
posture should be provided for every worker

19
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Design of Tools and Equipment)

• Hands to be relieved of all work that could be done

easily by a jig, fixture, or a foot-operated device
• Two or more tools should be combined where ever
possible
• Tools and materials should be pre-positioned where
ever possible

20
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Design of Tools and Equipment)
• Where each finger performs specific
movement (computer key board) the load
should be distributed in accordance with the
inherent capabilities of the fingers

• Handles of screwdrivers, cranks should have

sufficient hand space ; for light assembly
work, screwdriver handle to be shaped such
that it is smaller at the bottom then at the top

21
 Principles of Motion Economy
(Design of Tools and Equipment)

• Levers, crossbars, and hand wheels to be

located such that the operator can manipulate
them with least change in body position and
with greatest mechanical advantage

22
 Body Segment Classes

Use motions with the lowest feasible class

class Pivot point Body members
Five Trunk torso Upper/fore arm,
wrist & fingers

Four Shoulder Upper/fore arm,

wrist & fingers

Three Elbow Forearm, wrist &

fingers
Two Wrist Hand & fingers

One Knuckle fingers

23
 BODY MECHANICS

 Use the largest joints & muscles to do the job

 Use 2 hands to lift rather than one, even with light
objects and tasks.
 Avoid lifting with the forearm in full pronation (palm
down) or supination (palm up)
 Slide or push & pull objects instead of lifting
 Keep reaching to a minimum
 Carry objects close to body at waist level
24
Correct & Incorrect Techniques

25
26
 Working Environment
• The following factors should be considered:
2. Temperature &Humidity
3. Noise
4. Illumination
5. Colour
6. Vibration

27
 Temperature & Humidity
• Efficiency of employees performing physical
works decreases when temperature increases
beyond 80 degree fahernheit

• Workers not performing physical works tend

to become less efficient at temperatures above
90 degrees fahrenheit

28
 Temperature & Humidity

• During cold season, the work environment

should have heating facility
• Air conditioning office environment reduces
fatigue and errors

29
 Temperature & Humidity
• High humidity level also affects the
performance of the workers
• If humidity is very high, then temperature
above 90 degrees fahrenheit can be stifling
• In less humid conditions workers can endure
more heat

30
 Temperature & Humidity

• A cold dry environment is much more

comfortable than under conditions of high
humidity
• In production areas it is difficult to control
humidity but not so in office areas

31
 Noise
• Is the result of variations in air pressure
• May result from human speech, machine
operation, vibrations, and reverberation
• Employees have the ability to adapt to noisy
environment within reasonable limits
• Higher noise levels are annoying and painful

32
 Noise
• Exposing employees to higher noise levels
may impair their power of hearing
• Could be reduced by replacing or adjusting
moving parts, frequent lubrication,
maintenance, installing special devises –
carpets, curtains
• Better to isolate noisy machines in separate
buildings

33
1.NOISE - noise is unwanted sound. It is a pollutant and a hazard to human health and hearing. Noise in our
environment affects physical heath. Noise also has psychological and social implications and affects our well
being and quality of life.Noise can be reduced by lubrication of m/c, Drapes and ceiling tiles are used to absorb
unwanted sound and eliminate echoes and mufflers are used to reduce noise.
• Painful
• 150 dB = rock music peak
• 140 dB = firearms, air raid siren, jet engine
• 130 dB = jackhammer
• 120 dB = jet plane take-off, amplified rock music at 4-6 ft., car stereo, band practice
• Extremely Loud
• 110 dB = rock music, model airplane
• 106 dB = timpani and bass drum rolls
• 100 dB = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drill
• 90 dB = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic, subway
• Very Loud
• 80 dB = alarm clock, busy street
• 70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner
• 60 dB = conversation, dishwasher
• Moderate
• 50 dB = moderate rainfall
• 40 dB = quiet room
• Faint
• 30 dB = whisper, quiet library

34
 Noise
 Excessive noise may increase staff stress and fatigue. General noise may
be reduced by floor carpeting and by locating office areas away from
sources of external noise. The recommended decibel range for office work
is 55 to 65 dBA.
 Hard surfaces such as glass walls or white boards will act to increase the
reflection of noise.
 Telephone or other conversations can be distracting in open plan offices.
Sound absorbing barriers may be considered if such noise is a problem.
 Some office groups follow their own "low noise rules".
 Some office machines have high noise levels. Supervisors should ensure
their location, patterns and vicinity to staff are such as to prevent problems.

35
 Illumination

• Provide adequate light to perform

• Various lighting intensities have been
recommended for different types of jobs
• Lower illumination levels cause fatigue and
error
• Over illumination is a strain to the eyes and
leads to errors
• Glare is another problem

36
ILLUMINATION
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING.-
1. Sufficient illumination should be provided for each workman irrespective of
his position on the working space.
2. The lamps should be properly selected and so installed as to avoid or
minimize strain on the eyes of the workmen. The type and size of lamp
should be adapted to the particular ceiling height and class of work in
question.
3. The lamps should be operated from sources of supply which will insure
continuity of service and steadiness of light.
4. Adequate illumination should be provided from overhead lamps so that sharp
shadows may be prevented as much as possible, and in such measure that
individual lamps close to the work may be unnecessary except in special
cases.
5. In addition to the illumination provided by overhead lamps, individual lamps
should be placed close to the work if they are absolutely necessary, and in
such cases the lamps should be provided with suitable opaque reflectors.

37
SOURCE: American journal of public health

38
GENERAL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
Lighting
 In all working environments the lighting situation needs to be
considered.
 Illumination is measured in units of LUX - lumens per square
metre
 "Ordinary" visual tasks should be in range 300 to 400 lux [320
lux (task) and 160 lux (Background)].
 Options for adjusting lighting include(eg: computer)
 Positioning of the monitor to the side of window light and/or
in between overhead light sources.
 "Anti-glare" Screen Filters- Where all other efforts to correct
lighting have not succeeded, use of a screen filter may be
necessary.
39
 Colours
• Colours used in working environment affect
the performance
• Light colours are advisable for walls and
ceiling
• Colours have a remarkable effect on human
behaviour
• Green and Blue are cool colours
• Red and Orange are warm colours

40
 Colours

• Dull colours are used in machines to reduce

glare
• Light green is the favourite colour for machine
manufacturers as it is attractive and relaxing
• Colour is also used for plant safety and coding

41
 Colours
• Fire extinguishers are painted red
• Potential danger areas are outlined in yellow
• Colour coding helps to distinguish between
similar deices – hot water value is painted red,
cold water valve is painted blue

42
 VIBRATIONS
• Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may
be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a
gravel road.
• vibration is undesirable, wasting energy and creating unwanted sound – noise. For example,
the vibration motions of engines, electric motors, or any mechanical device in operation are
typically unwanted. Such vibrations can be caused by imbalances in the rotating parts,
uneven friction, the meshing of gear teeth, etc. Careful designs usually minimize unwanted
vibrations.
• Vibrations can be reduced by machine balancing, machine over hauling and material
selection.
• Machine casing, ear plugs, absorption materials and dampers have to be provided to reduce
vibration.
• Vibration can be source of fatigue.
• The most serious effect of vibration, especially in the case of machinery, is that sufficiently
high alternating stresses can produce fatigue failure in machine and structural parts. Less
serious effects include increased wear of parts, general malfunctioning of apparatus, and the
propagation of vibration through foundations and buildings to locations where the vibration
of its acoustic realization is intolerable either for human comfort or for the successful
operation of sensitive measuring equipment. 43
dampers
MAN AND TASK RELATIONSHIP FROM A SOCIOTECHNICAL
PERSPECTIVE OF MAN M/C SYSTEM

• Give workers an optimum level of variety of

tasks with the job.
• Arrange diverse but interdependent tasks into
one meaningful pattern.
• Give workers an optimum length of work
cycle.
• If feasible give workers responsibility in
setting quality standards along with feedback
of performance.

44
 CONTD
• Includes of auxiliary and preparatory tasks that
extends scope of the job and work
involvement in it.
• Make the job tasks required sufficient skill
from knowledge or effort to generate respect
within the community.
• Make the job show contribution of value to
overall product or service being produced.

45
46
 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ACCIDENT
PREVENTION
• Industrial Safety means freedom from accidents
happening in an industry.

Accident means an unplanned, unexpected event,

which may or may not result into an injury.

47
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
On-site consequences
Initiation of accident Damage to
personnel

Damage to plant
Escalation of adverse
System failure
events
Damage to public

Damage to
environment
Off-site consequences

48
EXAMPLE OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT

49
 WORKPLACE ACCIDENT

Presence of
Error made by Workplace
active, “armed”
personnel accident
hazard

Immediate
Hot surface (e.g., Worker spills
flammable liquid
ignition, worker
electrical heater)
is injured

50
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS & WORKPLACE
ACCIDENTS
Industrial accidents involving
harm to personnel

Industrial accidents
due to failures of engineering systems

Workplace accidents
occurring without system failures

51
 CHAIN OF EVENTS

Injury

Accident

Unsafe acts
Unsafe condition

52
HUMAN FAILURE
 CAUSES OF AN ACCIDENT

Unsafe conditions
The major unsafe conditions are as below
• Improper guarding ,un-guarded
• Defective tools
• Slippery floors, work places
• Improper house keeping.
• Maintenance
• Material handling equipment-over head cranes,
forklift
• Layout, blind turnings, crowding of machines

53
 HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS
• Recklessness
• Stubbornness
• Slow learners
• Shyness
• Physical condition
• Personal troubles

54
 THE MAJOR UNSAFE ACT ARE
 Operating without authority
 Failure to secure or warn
 Operating or working at unsafe speed
 Making safety devices inoperative
 Using unsafe equipment ,hands instead of equipment or equipments
unsafely
 Taking unsafe position or posture
 Failure to use personal protective equipment
 Ignoring rules
 Teasing
 Improper handling equipments

55
 NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SAFETY DAY:
MARCH 4TH
 Gujarat is one of the leading state of the nation and has the highest number of
chemical factories.
 There Every year, a safety week is celebrated starting from 4th March being a
National Safety Day, throughout the state. During these days many safety
programs are arranged in different industrial estates and in large industries
too.
 All these safety programs consist of popular method of sending message of
safety by displaying banners, slogans, posters and arranging competition for
safety essays, safety poems and safety slogans etc.

56
 INDUSTRIAL SAFETY DAY
INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SAFETY DAY: APRIL 28TH
 Four years back on April 28th, a national seminar on industrial
safety & health vision 2020 was organized by directorate
general (DG), Factory Advice and Labour Institutes
(DGFASLI) Mumbai, an apex body of the ministry of labour
and employment.
 While addressing the national seminar on ’Industrial Safety
and Health-Vision 2020: Challenges and Strategies’, minister
for labour and employment, Oscar Fernandes announced that
the year 2008 has been declared as the ’
Year of Industrial Safety and Health,’ by the
government of India.
57
 The occasion was special because 60 years of
announcement and enforcement of the Factories Act,
1948 was observed on that day.
 The minister suggested that lifestyle management
interventions like physical exercises, yoga classes,
meditation techniques and sports related activities
should be carried out on a regular basis as a part of
stress management. He said that these facilities should
be made available in the premises of the industries as
well as the colonies of the workers to ensure that all the
workers can utilize them.

58
Thank You

59