Since past times, man has sought his comfort in handling his tools, such as; Prehistoric men shaped these using variables such as materials with which they were built, capacities and limitations of people (dimensions of fingers, hands, arm length, etc.), all this in order to find better precision, range, mobility, strength, etc. With this we realize that the concept of ergonomics began to be applied from previous years with the same vision and nowadays we can realize that it is not easy to adapt effectively to the work process, therefore, it is necessary to adapt the process of work to us. Consequently, the concept was adopted in the first meetings of people interested in this aspect, the word ergonomics,derived from the Greek terms ergón (work) and nomía (knowledge) to baptize the new technique.
It is trying to improve the quality of life of the user, both in front of a work team and in some domestic place; In any case, this objective is achieved by reducing possible risks and increasing the well-being of users. The ergonomic intervention is not limited to identifying risk factors and discomforts, but rather proposes positive solutions that move within the probabilistic field of the effective potentialities of the users, and of the economic viability that frames any project. The user is not conceived as an object to protect but as a person in search of an acceptable compromise with the demands of the environment.
OBJECTIVES OF ERGONOMICS
Increase:
Quality of life
Security
Wellness
Effectiveness
Improve System Viability
DEFINITION OF ERGONOMICS
Etymologically, the word is a conjunction of the ergos terms that means work and "nomos" • which is natural laws, which would result in the "study of the natural laws that regulate work" •.
A common definition describes it as "the application of knowledge about human capabilities and limitations to the design of jobs, tasks, tools, equipment, and the work environment" •.
In its practical application, ergonomics uses a systemic perspective, based on an integrated knowledge that comes from various origins: systems engineering, organizational psychology, stress physiology, industrial design, etc. “In our vision, ergonomics occupies a prominent place in that more modern preventive theory, called Neo-Prevention. Such thinking broadens the scope of preventive interests within the company, going from an initial perspective focused on avoiding injuries, to a comprehensive, systemic and complex point of view in which the interest in preventing harm to people persists (problems of security) and property, but it is also interested in avoiding defects (quality problems) and waste (productivity problems) ", says Miguel Acevedo, occupational physician and graduate in Ergonomics.
- Consistent with the above, the goals of workplace ergonomics include: prevention of accidents and occupational diseases; reduction of disability costs; decreased absenteeism. Increased comfort and well-being of workers; Increase of the productivity of the tasks, and assurance of conditions that favor a quality work. Physical ergonomics is interested in the anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics of people, and in the relationship of these with physical activity. Cognitive ergonomics is related to the mental processes of perception, memory, reasoning and motor response in everything related to the design of human-system interfaces. Organizational ergonomics, meanwhile, is concerned with optimizing sociotechnical systems,including organizational structures, policies and processes.
1.1. Technical level
It is a technology of communications between man and machines that consists of signals and responses to said input signals. Communications between man and machine define work, in this sense, ergonomics is the study of work in order to improve it and its object is the man-machine system (set of variables that act together and whose purpose is common to all systems).
1.2. Labor level
It is the discipline whose primary goal is to measure man's capabilities and adjust the environment for them. Ergonomics tries to fit work to man, but not fit man to work.
1.3. Legal level
Represents "labor laws", which are multidisciplinary operations responsible for the study of people's behavior and activities, in order to adapt products, systems, jobs and environments to the characteristics, limitations and needs of their users, seeking to optimize their efficiency, safety and comfort.
1.4. Methodological level
It is a set of studies and research on the methodical organization of work and the conditioning of the equipment according to the possibilities of man. In addition to investigating the physical and mental capacities of the human being and application of the knowledge obtained in products, equipment and artificial environments.
- BACKGROUND
- Thanks to the meetings of July 12, 1949 and February 16, 1950, of all those interested in human labor problems, the term ergonomics was adopted and the new discipline originated. The word ergonomics was taken from the Greek terms ergón: work and nomos: natural laws. It can be said that the emergence of initial interest in the relationship between man and his link with the work environment had begun near the period of the First World War. Ammunition factory workers were important in sustaining the war effort, but as larger arms production was boosted, there were numerous complications. The attempt to solve some of these problems led to the creation of the Health of Munitions Workers in 1915. Committee (HMWC),It included some researchers with training in physiology and psychology, in order to conduct research on fatigue issues in the industry. In 1929 this committee took the name of the Industrial Health Research Board (IHRB, for its acronym in English), which, among other objectives, had to cover the investigation of the general conditions of industrial employment, particularly with regard to the preservation of Worker health and industrial efficiency - This organization had trained researchers such as psychologists, physiologists, doctors, and engineers who worked, separately or together, on problems that included a large area that was new and will require learning from it: posture, carrying loads, the physique of workers, rest breaks, inspection, lighting,heating, ventilation, musical; while working, selection and training. With the outbreak of World War II, the military area developed very quickly; however, as if the stress of the battle was not enough, the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high, that the additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering a operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.while working, selection and training. With the outbreak of World War II, the military area developed very quickly; however, as if the stress of the battle was not enough, the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high, that the additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering a operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.while working, selection and training. With the outbreak of World War II, the military area developed very quickly; however, as if the stress of the battle was not enough, the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high, that the additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering a operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.With the outbreak of World War II, the military area developed very rapidly; however, as if the stress of the battle was not enough, the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high, that the additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering a operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.With the outbreak of World War II, the military area developed very rapidly; however, as if the stress of the battle was not enough, the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high, that the additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering a operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high that additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering an operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.the military equipment became more complex and the rate of operation so high that additional stress resulted in the men failing to get the best out of their equipment or suffering an operational crash. Therefore, it was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.It was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.It was essential to know much more about human performance in its capacities and limitations. Naturally, this led to extensive research programs being designed in very diverse areas. As a reaction to the desire to combine the recently discovered knowledge and thus the new discipline called Ergonomics finally arose.
- APPLIED ERGONOMICS
- Ergonomics is defined as a body of knowledge about human skills, their limitations and characteristics that are relevant to design. Ergonomic design is the application of this knowledge to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs and environments that are safe, comfortable and effective for human use. The term ergonomics is derived from the Greek words ergos, work; We are not natural laws or knowledge or study. I literally study work. Ergonomics has two main branches: one refers to industrial ergonomics, occupational biomechanics, which focuses on the physical aspects of work and human capabilities such as strength, posture and repetitions. Ergonomics is included within various professions and academic careers such as engineering, industrial hygiene,physical therapy, occupational therapists, nurses, chiropractors, occupational physicians and sometimes with specialties in ergonomics. reduction of occupational injuries and illnesses. decrease in costs due to the incapacity of workers. increase in production. improvement in the quality of work. decrease in absenteeism. application of existing standards. decrease in loss of raw material. These methods by which the objectives are obtained are appreciation of the risks in the workplace.application of existing standards. reduction of the loss of raw material. These methods by which the objectives are obtained are appreciation of the risks in the workplace.application of existing standards. reduction of the loss of raw material. These methods by which the objectives are obtained are appreciation of the risks in the workplace.
- Definition of Ergonomics
Half of the people who work in an office in front of a computer (computer) present problems derived from bad postures. Having a chair designed with ergonomic criteria is essential to avoid physical disorders, such as back pain, cervical pain, low back pain or circulation problems. This office chair can be adjusted to the measurements of each person, to offer maximum support and comfort.
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