Physical ergonomics, which is a branch of ergonomics dealing with the environmental setup which optimises the interaction between workers and work, is important to best support a workforce which is growing more mobile and in different setups. Such examples of support programs which you may have seen in the workplace include seminars and presentations on workstation ergonomic assessments and mobile ergonomic assessments, which are important elements of ergonomics which will be covered in this post. 

However, ergonomics as a whole is not just about the physical environment setup. Concepts such as cognitive ergonomics are just as important when discussing this umbrella term. Throughout this blog, we will learn why ergonomics is important, and how best to consider and implement programs in the workplace to better support your workforce.

What is ergonomics, and why is it important in the workplace?

As mentioned earlier, human factor ergonomics is a broad term which looks at the study of people and the interactions they have between their environment and technology. Specifically, human factor ergonomics explores the influencing factors between these interactions and aims to optimise these systems by improving people-centred interactions (Carayon, 2006). 

Key to this definition is the importance of people-centred interactions. Human factor ergonomics recognises and acknowledges the inherent limitations of workers individually and provides a framework to best maximise the potential of workers in a system. By utilising workers in their strengths and supporting them through their areas of growth, this leads to the optimum output in any organisation’s objective (whether it be productivity, safety, cultural or anything else).

The application of human factor ergonomics has had contributions not only in the planning and support of the healthcare industry throughout the challenges of COVID-19, but has also seen significant influence over addressing risks identified in workplaces. It is a cornerstone of effective safety systems in manufacturing, transport industries, and has also been effective against broader psychosocial hazards such as the challenge of work-life balance (Woolridge et. al., 2022). These are just a few recent examples of why ergonomics is such an important topic in the modern workplace.

How to apply human factor ergonomics into the workplace

It is easiest to break down human factor ergonomics into 3 categories:

  • Physical ergonomics
  • Cognitive ergonomics
  • Organisational ergonomics

Physical ergonomics is most commonly implemented in workplaces. Office workstation ergonomic assessments look at ensuring the workstation setup is optimised to best physically support the worker, which you’ll often see depicted in flyers such as this:

Though the flyer summarises this concept nicely, nailing the seating arrangement for a worker makes up a large proportion of success when it comes to workstation ergonomics. By ticking off good back support, appropriate seat pan and foot contact with chair fitting, all other aspects of workstation ergonomics often fall into place quite naturally. Working from home and the mobile office for transport workers must also be considered with workstation ergonomics, as these work arrangements often involve a similar setup.

Importantly, physical ergonomics also encompasses the workforce which are involved in manual tasks. Tools such as job task analysis, risk assessments and control implementation in collaboration with workers are also areas of intervention that utilise not only physical, but also cognitive ergonomics. Consideration of elements such as work stressors, the interaction between workers, technology and the unintended consequences of these interactions are all important cognitive ergonomic elements which complement the implementation of physical ergonomics.

As you can see, common to both these frameworks is the worker! Open, transparent communication and genuine consideration of the worker’s opinion is key to good ergonomics. Risk assessment is an effective framework in identifying, planning and implementing risk management. This responsibility of risk is becoming more and more important as changing work arrangements post pandemic anticipate a greater onus on workers to address risk factors that affect health at work (Fox et. al., 2018). Collaborative tools such as human factor ergonomic interventions will only become more important as these changes in the trend of work continue to evolve. 

By implementing good physical and cognitive ergonomics, this cumulatively creates a strong foundation for easy implementation of organisational ergonomics. Ensuring the workforce is optimised to be working at its greatest potential and well supported is all the more easy when ergonomics has already been addressed at an individual level.

 

 

Key takeaway messages from this post:

Work ergonomics or human factor ergonomics is the area of understanding the interactions between workers and their environment.

Ergonomics can greatly support your workforce and improve the overall performance of the organisation.

Starting with physical and cognitive ergonomics can be an easy way to begin implementing these elements in the workplace.

Ergonomics is people-centred, interacting and communicating with your workers is key to success!

At Employ Health, we are a proven tribe with an established record of supporting businesses to reach their objectives. Our array of services include the delivery of bespoke ergonomic interventions such as active office presentations, job task analysis and so much more. Contact us for an individualised consultation with how we can best support your workforce and propel your business forward!

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References:

Carayon P. (2006). Human factors of complex sociotechnical systems. Applied ergonomics, 37(4), 525–535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2006.04.011
Fox, M. A., Spicer, K., Chosewood, L. C., Susi, P., Johns, D. O., & Dotson, G. S. (2018). Implications of applying cumulative risk assessment to the workplace. Environment international, 115, 230–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.03.026
Wooldridge, A. R., Carman, E. M., & Xie, A. (2022). Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) applications in responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned and considerations for methods. Applied ergonomics, 102, 103733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aper go.2022.103733