APPLICATION OF

ERGONOMICS IN INDUSTRY
Speaker

DR.S.N.NAYAK, MD
INSPECTOR OF FACTORIES

M e d I c a l

Ergonomics was invented in 1857and was

understood as a scientific approach enabling us to
reap for the benefit of ourselves and others, the
best fruits of lifes labour for the minimum effort
fruits of lifes labour for the minimum effort and
maximum satisfaction.
The world ERGONOMICS was coined
from two Greek words ergon(work) and
nomos(Rule or Law)

DEFINITION:
The international labour review in 1961
defined ergonomics as The application of the
human biological science in conjunction with the
engineering sciences to achieve the optimum
mutual adjustment of man and his work, the
benefits being measured in terms of human
efficiency and well being.

PRINCIPLES:
Ergonomic Principles and the objectives
are adaptation of the work to the worker and
the worker to adopt to the work situation.
But emphasis should be given in design of
improved work spots, work methods and
equipment. The benefits that can be
expected from application of ergonomics in
Industry are;
More efficient operation
Fewer accident
Lower cost of production
Reduced training time
Effective deployment of personnel
Reduction in physical stress on workers

PRINCIPLES OF APPLICATION:
The human-body can endure considerable discomfort
and stress and can still perform work in many awkward
and unnatural positions and adverse conditions but for
a limited period of time. To ease discomfort during
work to minimise fatigue and to improve efficiency of
workers, ergonomic principles are applied. The
principles should suit to the man-machineenvironment system in any Industry.

AIM OF APPLICATION
To facilitate a person to do work efficiently.
To ensure that mechanical work is done with
minimal use of energy and materials without
waste caused due to mistakes.
To ensure safety and health of man at work.
To develop knowledge and techniques that
will improve the technology further.

S C O P E
SYSTEM DESIGN:
Man and Machine partnership.
WORK SPACE DESIGN:
It deals with seat design, work bench
design, positioning of displays, controls
and materials.
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN:
Is concerned with ensuring that the,
heating, ventilation noise, vibration and
so are appropriate to the requirements of
the human operator.

INTERFACE DESIGN:
Display design deals with design of
scales, pointers, letters, numbers and the
size positioning and grouping of
instruments.
WORK SITUATION DESIGN:
Deals with hours of work, rest pourers,
shift work, interpersonal relationship and
organisational aspects of work.
All these designs can be aimed at
particular kinds of people engaged in
particular tasks in any Industry.

WORK SPACE ARRANGEMENT

Avoidance of all stooping(bending) and
unnatural body positions.
Extended position of arms constantly either
forward or side ward should be avoided.
Always prefer sitting position at work.
Avoid standing.
The arms should move together or in
opposite direction.

Ergonomic Aspect of Hand and Wrist

To grasp - cylindrically or
spherically
To pinch - by tip pressure, by pulp
To hook - pressure or by lateral
pressure

CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS

Tenosynoritis
De Quervains disease
Trigger finger
Tendinitis
Tenis elbow
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Raynauds Syndrome
Space invaders wrist

ERGONOMIC ASPECT OF FOOT

LOW BACK PAIN
CONTROL

THROUGH

HUMAN

Straight Back Rule

Belly Button Rule
Swinging Arm Rule
Straight Arm Rule
Straight Wrist Rule
Eye Rule
Skin Rule
Think First Rule
No Brain Machine Rule

FACTORS

ENGINEERING

STRAIGHT BACK RULE

Forces which come down the spine compresses
the inter-vertebral discs and due to continuous &
repetitive squeezing they can rupture and bulge
out producing severe pain.
This helps to design methods to minimize the
forces on these discs.
To avoid such forces, one should use pelvic tilt
by pulling the stomach muscles.
It could be done with keeping the back straight
and bending the legs.
When seated a support for the back to keep the
muscles away from getting fatigued should be
used.

BELLY BUTTON RULE

Loads that are held, lifted or carried should be

kept near the belly button.
The weight of 30 pounds load next to the belly
button ( about 8 away from spine ) exerts 240
Pounds where as when weight is moved out 12
from the belly button, it would be 20 away from the
spine and the spine will now be 600 Pounds.
Therefore, the work place and methods should be
designed so that work requiring the use of arms is
close to the belly button.
When the arm is extended in performing a task
the muscles of the arm cannot work to the best of
their capability.

SWINGING

ARM

RULE

Methods and work places should be

designed to promote workers to use natural
movements and should not be forced to
move loads with hands or arms in a
straight line.
A natural swing of arms take 33 % less
muscle strain than moving the arm in a
straight line.
Positive steps should be used to stop load
movements rather than to use muscle
power.

STRAIGHT WRIST RULE

Jobs requiring repetitive pushing or pulling,

thumb should be used in stead of any of the
middle fingers.
Jobs requiring grasping movement for the
hand should be designed in such a fashion, so
that there is no bending of the wrist while
performing the job.
Continuous bending of wrist can lead to the
disorder like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Some tools such as hammers, pliers etc have
been designed with a suitable bend in their
handles, so that they can be used with wrist
straight.

EYE RULE Work place be so designed that the

workers can see all the things to be seen like gauges,

control and material etc. without undue head
movement.

SKIN RULE The work area should be free from

obstruction and there should not be a concentrated
pressure on small skin areas.
Where ever it is found that the workers used a tape
or a cloth over the part of the machine while
operating , it means that this place of machine is
hurting him because of the accumulated pressure on
a particular part of the skin.
This needs immediate attention to be changed so
that the works are without any obstruction.

The Think First Rule

Human tendency is to take a short-cut or do some

thing that is easy rather than safe. This should be
avoided.

No Brain Machine Rule

At the time of designing job or machines it should be

taken into consideration that if the worker did not
think when he / she performed the task could he/she
get hurt ? If answer is yes, necessary change in
designing is indicated. Sufficient statistics on the
number of workers suffering with various disorder
due to improper designing of the machines or the work
place are lacking but the linked data clearly indicate
about the seriousness of the situation, role of human
factors engineering in their prevention.

CONCLUSION
ERGONOMICS has emerged out as an important branch
of science in the industrial world. It has a limited
application in industry particularly in the developing
countries. However in never industries the ergonomic
aspects are considered from the design stage itself.
While planning for work-space, equipment and interior
arrangements etc. The technological progress will
increase its application in various fields in future on
account of higher thrust given on production of quality
goods with less human error. Since man and machine
relationship have to be optimised in most of the
industries, the ergonomic aspect cannot be lost site of
any more in coming decade.

PICTURE NO: 44