Lecture to be delivered by Jayadeva de Silva (Sri Lanka) on Human Factors Engineering ,,Agile working and related issues

1. This presentation is dedicated to the memory of Neerja Bhanot

4. Jayadeva de Silva
4
This material was produced under grant [SH20856SH0] from the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the
U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial
products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government
An Introduction

6. In Greek
Ergo = Work
Nomos = Laws

7. 7
What is Ergonomics?
“The scientific discipline concerned with
understanding of interactions among
humans and other elements of a system, and
the profession that applies theory, principles,
methods and data to design in order to
optimize human well-being and overall
system performance”.
• Source : International Ergonomics Association (IEA) in 2000

8. Ergonomics means
“fitting the job to the
worker”

10. WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?
Ergonomics is a solution finding
method for questions like these:
How can human body dimensions be applied to car
seat design?
What is the proper height for kitchen counters? Or
any counter?
How can traffic lights be programmed for optimal
urban traffic flow throughout the day?

11. How can stereo receiver displays and
controls be coded to effectively define their
respective functions?
How can the material and design of swim
suits for competition be improved for
minimal water resistance?

12. • How should computer
software and screens work
and look best to fit human
cognitive capabilities?

15. Ergonomic needs in a workplace
 Physical work environment
 Thermal comfort
 Noise and vibration control
 Adequate and proper lighting
 Chemical environment
 Control of pollution
 General and exhaust ventilation

16. Ergonomic needs in a
workplace(Contd)
Work physiology
 Control excessive physical load
 Avoid physical and muscular fatigue
 Adequate rest pauses
 Arrangement of static and dynamic
work

17. Ergonomic needs in a workplace (Contd.)
 Anthropometry (Body sizes)
 Designs to fit body sizes of users
 Appropriate working levels
 Adequate work space
 Avoid overcrowding of machines and
workers

18. Ergonomic needs in a workplace
(Contd.)
 Occupational Biomechanics
 Appropriate work postures (sitting,
standing)
 Safe load lifting and carrying
techniques
 Adopt proper techniques in manual
materials handling

20. Ergonomic needs in a workplace (Contd)
 Psychological aspects
 Avoid perceptual and mental loads and
fatigue
 Appropriate design of displays and control
 Appropriate conditions for Vigilance tasks
 Avoid human error and stress
 Job motivation and satisfaction

21. Ergonomic needs in a workplace
(Contd)
 Social psychology
Practice good relationship among
employees and between employer
and employee

23. Ergonomic needs in a workplace (Contd,)
 Macro ergonomics
 Suitable working hours , intervals, holidays, leave
 Appropriate shift schedules
 Welfare facilities
 Job rotation and incentives schemes
 Fair salary structure, Good administrative
structure
 Good work organization schemes
 Fringe benefits (housing, transport, sports)
 Training and education
 Promotional prospects

30. AGILE WORKING
???

31. Agile working is a way of working in
which an organisation empowers its
people to:
work where,
when and how they choose –
with maximum flexibility and
minimum. constraints –
to optimise their performance and
deliver “best in class” value and
customer service.
It uses communications and information
technology to enable.

46. Product Designs

73. What are (WMSDs)?
•Work Related
Musculo-Skeletal
Disorders (WMSDs)?

75. 75
What are Work Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
(WMSDs)?
• WMSDs are also known as:
– Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)
– Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)
– Overuse injuries
• They are soft tissue injuries which occur
gradually

76. 76
What are some of the symptoms of WMSDs?
• Discomfort
• Pain
• Numbness
• Tingling
• Inflammation
• Burning
• Swelling
• Change in color
• Tightness, loss of
flexibility

77. 77
What causes WMSDs?
–Heavy, Frequent, or Awkward Lifting
–Pushing, Pulling or Carrying Loads
–Working in Awkward Postures
–Hand Intensive Work
–Vibration
–Contact Stress

78. 78
Risk Factors
Risk of injury depends upon:
– Duration of exposure
– Frequency of exposure
– Intensity of exposure
– Combinations of risk factors

79. 79
Risk factors for WMSDs
Heavy, frequent or
awkward lifting

80. 80
Heavy lifting
There are only recommendations for maximum weight
a person can lift.

81. 81
Frequent lifting
Lifting more than twice per minute

82. 82
Awkward lifting
Lifting above the shoulders, below the knees or at arms’ length

83. 83
Risk factors for WMSDs
Awkward postures
• Extended reaching
• Bending or twisting of the trunk
• Working with arms away from the
body
• Kneeling or squatting

84. 84
Awkward Postures - Low work
Bending
Kneeling
Squatting

85. 85
Reducing low work
• Raise and/or tilt the work for better access
• Use a stool for ground level work
• Use tools with longer handles
• Alternate between bending, kneeling, sitting, and squatting

86. 86
• Keep items within close reach
(design reach distance for the shortest worker)
• Remove obstacles
• Use gravity feed racks
Reducing Reaching

87. 87
Risk factors for MSDs
Hand Intensive Work

88. 88
Repetitive motions
Hand Intensive Work

89. 89
Hand Intensive Work –
Highly repetitive motion
Making the same motion
repeatedly can cause a lot of
wear and tear on the joints
being used, and if you don’t
rest to allow time for them to
heal, the damage can just keep
building up.

90. 90
Reducing repetition
• Arrange work to avoid unnecessary motions
• Let power tools and machinery do the work
• Spread repetitive work out during the day
• Take stretch pauses
• Rotate task with co-workers if possible
• Change hands or motions frequently

91. 91
Hand Intensive Work –
Gripping and Pinching
A power grip is 5 times
stronger than a pinch grip
=

92. 92
Other factors
Your grip strength decreases when you:
•Bend your wrists
•Pick up slippery items
•Wear poorly fitting gloves
•Have cold hands

93. 93
Risk of injury goes up
as you combine
factors
Repetition
Gripping or Pinching
Bent wrists
Repetition
Gripping or Pinching
Repetition
Hand Intensive Work – Combinations

94. 94
OSHA Guidelines for
Ergonomics

95. 95
Remember, OSHA does not have regulations to
address ergonomics,
only Recommendations and Guidelines

96. 96
What you can do:
• Recognize and report signs and symptoms
early
• Get involved in ergonomics

97. 97
Recognition and reporting signs
and symptoms
Report signs or symptoms if:
– Pain is persistent, severe or worsening
– Pain radiates
– Symptoms include numbness or tingling
– Symptoms keep you from sleeping at night
– Fingers blanch or turning white

98. 98
Why is it important to report signs and/or
symptoms early?
• Acute injuries can easily become chronic injuries and can
sometimes lead to disability, even surgery
• Early treatment save time and money

99. 99
Getting involved
• Look at jobs
• Come up with solutions
• Work with solutions
• Take part in training
• Take responsibility for changing the way you do your job
• Help to make sure efforts are successful

100. 100
Five key points to remember
1. Ergonomics can help you on your job
2. WMSDs can happen in jobs with risk factors
3. Risk factors can be reduced and WMSDs prevented
4. Reporting signs and symptoms early is important
5. You can help your company put ergonomics
changes into place

101. My sincere thanks to:
• You –my audience today
• Ms Chethana Liyanage
• Ms Lakmi Hettiarachchi

102. My audience today
Ms Lakmi Hettiarachchi