Enhancing Workplace Ergonomics by Unveiling the 6Ws of Ergonomics Design
The significance of ergonomics in workplace design should not be overlooked. Let us unravel the 6Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How) of applying workplace ergonomic principles to create a workplace free from harm that enhances productivity as well. It sends a strong message that the company cares about its greatest resource: its employees.
A well-designed workplace is one that prioritizes the ergonomics principles encapsulated in the 6Ws. From considering the diverse needs of user groups, to the implementation of principles in the early on stages of workstation design. These approaches reduce the costs associated with ergonomic related injuries and contributes to a happy and healthy workforce.
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Participatory ergonomic intervention process in kitchen work
The purpose of this article is to explain research done on a participatory ergonomic intervention in kitchen work. The intervention was aimed at reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) which rank as the highest percent of work-related injuries in the workplace. Having a participatory approach means that the employees of the company that do the work were actively part of the analysis and planning behind the improvements made to their own work environment. This has been shown to be an effective strategy and one such study was conducted in municipal kitchens across four large cities in Finland. The focus was on schools, kindergartens, nursing homes, as well as geriatric service centers.
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Enhancing Workplace Health: The Impact of Ergonomics Training and Office Intervention
The increasing prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among computer workers has sparked concerns, given the widespread use of computers in the USA. This short read blog explores one scientific study that explored the effectiveness of workplace training interventions aimed at reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among workers of office settings.
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Ergonomic Elimination Controls
Ergonomic elimination controls are the ideal solution for the mitigation of ergonomic related risk. They measures designed to eliminate risks of MSDs by modifying the work environment, workstations, and equipment. These types of controls even beat out engineering controls which tend to come with a heavy price tag. Although elimination is usual a vision to which a long-term solution is sought for. Various other types of inferior controls (i.e. administrative) are usually implemented in the interim.
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Tips for Standing Work #2 – Foot Bar & Perch Chair / Sit Stand Chair
Gravity is a constant, driving us down! So when people stand for prolonged periods of time, they tend assume some rather strange and awkward poses. One hip may shift to the side, or the knees will lock back. People lean on a desk, or their shopping cart, or a countertop with either their arms or hips when standing up.
This helps us get stability in our legs. In the workplace, these same postures held for hours at a time will result in injury - to the feet, knees, hips, back, neck and shoulders. The best way to obtain stability and comfort is to obtain a foot rest, or if you’re in the pub a foot bar.
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Tips for Standing Work #1 – Standing Mats & Shoes
Our bodies were not designed to stand, so this is a task that our bodies are not originally designed to do well. If you’ve ever stood on a hard surface for an hour, you might feel the outcome of continuous loading on the knee and back joints leading to articular fluid inside the joints to get pushed to the side. Blood naturally follows gravity pooling to the lower extremities and a feeling of pressure on the soles of feet.
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Ergonomic Considerations for Selecting An Optimal Conveyor Belt Height
The two considerations for setting conveyor belt height will depend primarily on the visual acuity required and downward force required. Generally, a degree of both will be required but the mechanics and posture related tradeoffs need to be considered. In a simpler example, if an object size is small there will be a need to raise the height closer to view, however, the tradeoff would be the weight of the upper body cannot use gravity so much to its advantage to apply pressure onto the object and allow the weight of the arms to relax the shoulder more.
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The Ergonomics Involved in Designing Conveyor Belt Systems
Conveyor belts are used in industry to automate the transport of goods and materials between stages of a process. It eliminates the risks of musculoskeletal injury related to manual materials handling since it greatly reduces the need for repetitive lifting and carrying.
Despite the benefits of a conveyor belt workstations, they can contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) if not designed properly with the end users in mind. Workers in unideal conditions to which awkward and uncomfortable postures are common for long periods are at a high risk of MSDs. Therefore actions such as reaching, stooping, twisting, and leaning are all problematic and need to be reduced.
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Tablet Ergonomics - The "Counter" Trend
As all of the ergonomics technologies are improving with sit/stand desks and other improvements there is one trend leading us backwards. That is the mobile-computing trend. Things like notebook computers, tablets, and other touchscreen devices are creating this tradeoff between either our neck posture or shoulder and back posture.
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