Applying ergonomics in manufacturing industries
Introduction
The term ergonomics derives from the Greek dictionary two words “Ergon” and “Nomos”. According to the definition by Greek, the term Ergon refers work while the term Nomos refers to the law. In the present age, the combined word ergonomics refers to the science of constructing the work place from a conceptual analogy in a way that the job advocate for the workers and not the workers forcing their accommodation into a job (Andel 2). Ergonomics comprehensively applied in the work place assures workers of their safety by containing inhibitors that may arise in the work place such as illnesses and injury and hence shifts workers efforts to perfecting their duties in the work setting (Andel 2). Manufacturing industry is a composite of humans and machines coordinated by application of an organization system. Human factors, machines, workplace, surrounding environment, internal environment, and management constitute the six aspects that best describe a system. The six components of a system correlatively work assure stability in the relationship between workers and demands of activities carried out in the work setting. Catering to the six components of a system in turn results in workers satisfaction, safety, and increased productivity. This journal focuses on manufacturing industries by looking into the different aspects of environmental and work design characterized by approved application of ergonomics consequently describing the advantages that arise from their use.
Necessity of ergonomics in manufacturing industries
The need of Ergonomics and human factors in manufacturing industries is to provide an integration discovery and scientific knowledge application regarding human aspects in manufacturing industries. It also provides a worldwide forum for knowledge dissemination for its benefits and applications in the manufacturing industries. Ergonomics is an important aspect in any manufacturing industry hence; most manufacturing industries should focus on implementing them in their organizations. Proper ergonomics implementation in any manufacturing industry will help in the increase in productivity.
Globally, industrial systems disorders are the leading causes of poor and low productivity in many manufacturing industries. The situation is even worse in countries that are still developing with terrible working conditions in the industries. Additionally, most manufacturing industries are less aware of the need of ergonomic issues in those industries, training systems and educational programs within the developing countries (Schlick, 65).
Ergonomics is wide and it is not partial to any applications or industries. Ergonomics involves people in every aspect including their work systems, leisure activities, health, safety and sports. These aspects are meant to embody ergonomics principles in case they are designed properly (Schlick, 75). The ability of a person to perform any given job or task may be influenced by either a person’s capabilities, which can be mental, or physically and the demand of the job which can either be mental or physical. Finally, any given job can be influenced by a person’s conditions, which can be due to either the organizational environment or physical aspects under which, people carrying a given job. There are various objectives and needs of Ergonomics especially in various manufacturing industries. Some of the necessities include; enhancing efficiency with human activities and work, which are performed to enhance various desirable human values during the process, safety, satisfaction and health (Trzcieliński, 45).
The aim ergonomics in any given manufacturing industry is to improve and preserve human satisfaction and health. It also optimizes the performance of the workers in the industry perspective. In a manufacturing company set up, ergonomics deals with the worker’s well-being. It also deals with the well-being of the manufacturing industry (Kumar, 97). Ergonomics is necessary in the manufacturing industries because it ensures that the worker’s needs for efficient and safe working conditions are met regarding the company’s systems. Generally, the necessity of ergonomics in a manufacturing industry is to ensure enough comfort, proper health and performance (Advances in Industrial Ergonomics and Safety, 46).
There is need for Ergonomics in manufacturing industries because it generally increases productivity among the workers. Work design and workstations are the main factors of ergonomics efficiency among workers. Many manufacturing companies have realized that, instead of focusing on machine, money, materials, and methods, ergonomics improvements in the manufacturing industries is essential for saving company’s costs. Ergonomics is essential when the market demand is on the rise and the manufacturers require more production within short time (Dong, 57).
Based on various statistical measurements, it is evident that, there are considerable relations between ergonomics and productivity especially with job immunity. On the same note, there is correlation between these factors. Some of the various factors, which are accountable during productivity in any manufacturing industry, include, personal skills, basic knowledge, good communication between the employees and co-workers, in service training and training (Dong, 102).
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The above picture is a representation of how a company is expected to arrange chairs in a systematic system to ensure that chairs do not cause hindrances to activities in the work place. The characteristic of the chair creation is to allow people using the chair be comfortable without it hurting their bodies or muscles. The table has rounded edges with plastic coverings on the edges to promote safety and ensure that workers do not get hurt when using the room.
Designing the Posture and Movement
Posture and movement design entails the involvement of various parts of the body to facilitate movement. The body muscles, ligaments and joints collectively aid the body in adopting a posture, applying a force and carrying out a movement. The muscles provide a force essential to adopt a posture or make a movement in a specified direction and manner. The ligaments have an auxiliary function. The joints allow involvement of various parts of the body in a relative movement (Archer 155).
Backgrounds for posture and movement
A typical design of the correct posture and movement demands the body to be in a neutral position. If at work, it is imperative to keep the work close to the body. This will prevent the body and arms from outstretching and in the end reducing the stress on the muscles and joints (Archer 155).
Three backgrounds of posture and movement are namely biochemical, physiological, and anthropometric background. The biochemical background derives its basis on the human body’s biomechanics and the physical laws of mechanics. This type of background enhances estimation or calculation of the local mechanical stress on the muscles as well as joints resulting from posture or movement (Salvendy 170). The basis of physiological background entails the physical conditions, energy and exercises that result from muscular movements. Other physiological processes include energy demand on the lungs and heart due to muscular effort and body fatigue usually resulting from engagement in physical tasks over a longer duration. Anthropometric background derives its basis on the difference in the human body size (Salvendy 170.
Humans require body alignment and optimal posture to prevent injuries as well as enhance the body capacity to expend the least amount of energy to move. Poor posture is the primary cause of back pain and other related diseases. Hence, it is high time humans adopted the correct posture that would aid movement with ease without subjecting the body to so much pain. Good posture will not only enhance movement with ease but it will also help minimize cases of back pain and ailments related to back injuries and the musculoskeletal in general. It calls for formulation of a workable design, strategy and exercise program, and creating a clear understanding of the body movement (Salvendy 170). This will help avoid problems arising from incorrect posture. In designing the right posture and movement, it is obligatory to examine the various types of postures. The human body exhibits a static posture when attempting to maintain body alignment when not in motion. Static posture encompasses the body posture when standing, sitting, and kneeling. Dynamic posture describes the body alignment and positioning during movement. The human body exhibits this kind of posture when the individual is lifting a heavy box, sprinting or kicking a football among other activities that involve body movement (Salvendy 170).
The planes of Movement
The planes of movement include sagittal, frontal and traverse planes. The sagittal plane entails movement forward and backwards. These movements include swinging the arms back and forth as well as nodding the head (Mori et al 207). Frontal plane refers to movement from side to side. Traverse plane involves the act of twisting and turning the body at different angles. Few movements happen in one plane. When a person walks, the arms and legs move in the sagittal plane. However, the spine and pelvis continuously twist. In essence, a walk would trigger the body to exhibit sagittal and traverse planes (Mori et al 207).
The above chair is custom made to suit the wants of the user. The users back is not going to hurt from use of the chair since it will be comfortably resting on the laid-back chair. The chair also has wheels to make movement of the user easier around the room. Cushion on the chair enables the user sit comfortable without having the stress of back pain.
Design for information and operation
Ergonomics is important in ensuring that there is efficiency in information and operation in a company. This is especially crucial for the website companies, which would need to design proper information and operation. The proper design of the information and operation will involve the consideration of the standard hours and worker efficiency in order to ensure that the workers remain within their scope of work. Efficiency in operation and information is what most of the companies always look towards to achieving. The design of operation and information would therefore entail ensuring that that there is work efficiency within the website industry (Jayamaha,, 667).
The efficiency of operation in the company will depend on the availability of the machines that form significant part of the website company. The design for operation will include designing the controls used within the machine to fit the capability of the workers. The workers should be able to use the controls of the machines making them to deliver a high quality output from their operation (Kenworthy et al, 342). The design of the machine should in such a way that it is easy to operate besides being logical. This is a step towards allowing the users to be more comfortable when using the machines. Further, there should be designing of a work sequence to ensure that there is efficient flow of work between the different departments. The website companies normally entails a chain of tasks, which needs accomplishment thereby the design of the work sequence, will ensure that all the workers carries out all the operations. The rate of idleness in the website company may also lead to reduced efficiency in the operation. Consequently, the company will need to find take a step of reducing the level of idle times between the workers and the machines. This can only occur when there is close supervision on the workers, making them to always turn to work (Hitt,87). The company should also look for ways of making the workers comfortable with the operations. The company should consider the exact number of workers who will fit the workload and the objectives written down. This ensures that there is no underperformance or unnecessary larger number of workers, which would otherwise lead to inefficiencies in the company. Few workers would lead to occurrence of much uncompleted work in the company thereby paralyzing the operation (Kroemer, 200).
Too much workers would always lead to increase in the payroll costs thereby adding on the production cost of the company. This can only happen if the company considers providing healthy working conditions for the workers through ensuring that the machines are safety for use by the workers. Another important step in the design of the operation and information will involve the company maximizing the number of worker in the system (Reider, 37). This would ensure that the website operations are at their optimum thereby making the operation of the company to be successful. The company should also optimize the number of machines depending on the objective of the company towards their clients. The optimization of the number of workers or machines normally occurs when the website company is a multiple machine/worker system. There should be close attachment between the head of the various departments and the workers to ensure that there is proper flow of information between the two.
The above picture is of a workshop desk. The tool on the table is placed lying on the table to ensure that it does not harm the user. The electrical components on the table have their wires wound around them to prevent direct contact that would lead to shock.
Design for environmental factors
As already aforementioned, ergonomics is a science of advancing tools and work surroundings, which are sensitive to the physical requirements of the human body. Consequently, it assists workers in avoiding strain, stress, and repetitive motion injuries. Ergonomically formulated furniture, tools, as well as, office equipment derive their inspiration from the innate dynamics of the body thereby consenting to people accomplishing obligations in ways, which are beneficial and not detrimental to their bodies. Ergonomics ensures that the workplace conditions match the job description by putting into consideration aspects of the workers population and essentials of the work. Through the application of ergonomics, both physical stress and environmental aspects remain as primal considerations. Physical stress that occurs in the course of working such as stress in joints, muscles and bones and the environmental aspects affected that include hearing, vision and making the work place comfortable form the basis of conceptualized ergonomics application. An office employee who is operating in an ergonomically designed surrounding inclusive of chairs, desks, lighting, monitor, and keyboard among many others is far less probable to encounter discomfort all through the workday.
Physical uneasiness whether emanating from unpleasant noise or vibration can result in fatigue, demoralization, and irritability. Physical comfort-ability is far more probable of positivism in their attitude towards their endeavors and additionally productive whilst undertaking them. Provision of ergonomically suitable office equipment by the management is a demonstration of concern for the welfare of workers that will attract appreciation. Productivity suffers whenever employees express dissatisfaction or unhappiness. Ergonomic surroundings benefit workers by making them further contented, consequently benefiting the managers, as well as, the owners through assisting employees become further productive. Application of ergonomics suffices for the cost incurred from consistent injuries in the workplace and occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. Ergonomics provides a solution that caters for safety of workers and increases production in the workplace.
The additional expenses incurred in the provision of ergonomic equipment are recoupable over time through augmented efficiency and productivity of staff. Numerous forms of noises and vibrations are not conducive for the human ear. Some surroundings encompass systems founded on the principles of efficiency in the economy instead of superlative vibration for people who are essentially operating in the environment. Wavelengths and vibrations, whose emission is from fluorescent fixtures may result in discomfort and headaches, in numerous workers and may sometimes result in the suffering of rare conditions such as seizures in the case of epileptics. Ergonomic sound schemes consider the preferences of the human anatomy thereby provide task fitting sound and vibration. This can be inclusive of high intensity sound for the completion of small undertakings, and more calming and relaxing vibrations for other actions.
Repetitive motion damages can emanate from activities as seemingly not detrimental as typing on the keyboard. Whereas not dramatic as a burn or broken arm, these forms of damages can be somehow serious and may result in damage and long term suffering to the individuals experiencing them. Devices such as ergonomically formulated keyboards provide adjustments such as humps at the keyboard bottom. The humps allow for wrists rest along with keys oriented to every hand for resting the arm in an innate position. The application of ergonomic designs can be in numerous diverse tools in order to pass up long-term damages.
The advantages of applying ergonomics in the design of work surroundings in other industries provide benefits in relation to the augmentation of efficiency and productivity, job motivation and satisfaction along with a reduction of work connected absenteeism, injury, and stress. When made use of in the designing of environments along with designing of decision creation, clutching an approach, which places the customer, or user at the core of ensuring that their attributes and needs propel decisions, results in products that both delight and excite. Consequently, this gives rise to fewer criticisms and returns. The conviction is that the determinable benefits previously delivered to other industrial uses through the employment of ergonomics can also be realizable in the efforts of lessening noise and vibration.
Conclusion
Application of ergonomic concepts in manufacturing industry results to a positive impact to the industry by creating awareness, educating workers, motivating workers, and reducing the occurrence of MSD. By creating an environment where workers can partake to their duties with ease and without worry of the high possibility, they may succumb to illness, productivity increases and cost of running the industry reduces substantially. Ergonomic programs play a significant role to the activities carried out in manufacturing industries (Erdinc, Oğuzhan& Yeow 952). The programs context comprises of identifying, developing and analyzing factors constitute ergonomic risk in essence assuring workers of their safety. Institutions such as OSHA (occupational safety and health administration) work exclusively to bettering the working conditions of workers by continuously introducing laws that involve the application of ergonomics. In the year200, the institution introduced a new ergonomic standard that apparently would cost manufacturing industries an average 700 million US dollars to implement (Erdinc, Oğuzhan& Yeow 957). On the upside of the new standard, an average 300000 workers would no longer succumb to illnesses or injuries and in the process save the country an estimated $9 billion per year. Ergonomics application comes at a high price, but it eventually pay off by minimizing fatalities in manufacturing industries and reducing the cost of production dedicated to workers injuries. Considering that, an estimated one third of work related MSDs constitute to injuries and illnesses that force workers to take leave while still cost manufacturing industries an aggregate $ 20 billion in a year, ergonomics application shifts from being a precaution and becomes a priority.
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