RESEARCH PAPER

Research Paper

Research Paper

Ergonomics evaluations in industrial settings have recently received increased attention due to the cost incurred as a result of repetitive motion injuries. Ergonomics is the application of scientific principles, methods, and data drawn from a variety of disciplines for the development of engineering systems in which people play a significant role. thatmechanical exposure during physical work should be described by three main dimensions: level—intensity of the force, repetitiveness— the frequency of shifts between force levels and duration—the time the physical activity is performed. Any attempt to quantify exposure should therefore include all the three dimensions for a worker being assessed. Data should also be recorded for the other important exposure factors, such as postural variation, rate of movement and vibration, as well as the measurement of psychosocial and organizational factors that may be present in the workplace concerned. A major challenge is posed in selecting the appropriate method or combination of methods from this range that have been developed.

The more general, observationbased assessments appear to be best matched to the needs of occupational safety and health practitioners (or those from related professions) who have limited time and resources at their disposal and need a basis for establishing priorities for intervention. Even so, this user group would benefit from the development of a decision aid that would allow them to make an informed choice about which techniques are most suited to which practical situations they are called upon to assess.

A Case History

This case relates to Phil age 34 who was working as a data entry operator in an accountancy firm for the last 8 years. Phil was a typical energetic male, full of life and a hard worker. He was a man who would never turn down a task. Phil had a steady typing speed averaging 45 wpm. While the others were always complaining about the strain using the keyboards on the new computer systems together with newly designed computer tables the company had bought few months back, he was always as humble as ever. Even when his fingers started hurting he never complained and went on with his work. He thought it was due to exertion, so he started taking brief breaks between typing sessions. However the condition kept getting worse instead of improving. A time came when the average analgesics won't even work. Phil had reached his limits; he couldn't go on. He felt despair; there was nothing he felt he could do. His wrists were just too full of pain to sit at the computer one more time. He found himself unable to carry on his work. He had had enough and he didn't know what to do, where to go. His wrists felt cold, with a kind of dull aching and it felt like they couldn't do the work he had to do. (Emanoil, Pamela 2004 Pp. 67.)

Ergonomics

The term “ergonomics” has been derived from a combination of two Greek words: “ergon” meaning work; and “nomoi”, meaning natural ...