8/30/2023

INTRODUCTION TO
ERGONOMICS

ERGONOMICS
• Coined from the Greek words ergon (meaning
“work”) and nomos (meaning “rules”).
• Interdisciplinary field of study that seeks to
design tools, equipment, and tasks to optimize
human capabilities.

• “Make the work fit the person, not the person

fit the work”

1
 8/30/2023

HISTORY OF ERGONOMICS

It all started
on the
EVOLUTION OF MAN

2
 8/30/2023

Australopithecus
Prometheus

When human first

began to use tools to
accomplish tasks they
could not do it with
their bare hands, they
were practicing
Ergonomics.

3
 8/30/2023

Intelligent reactions to the

interactions between man and his
environment
Christensen (1976)

As time goes by….

Machines

Tools

Work Processes

4
 8/30/2023

Industrial Revolution

The process of change from an agrarian and

handicraft economy to one dominated
by industry and machine manufacturing in the
period from about 1760 to sometime between
1820 and 1840.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
05
Developments in Transportation
& Communication
02 Development of AUTOMOBILE,
New Organization of Work AIRPLANE, STEAMSHIP, RADIO
Use of FACTORY SYSTEM which AND TELEGRAPH
entailed DIVISION OF LABOR

01
03
Use of Basic Technological
Materials Changes
Use of MASS
IRON and STEEL 04 PRODUCTION of
Use of New Energy manufactured
Sources goods.
Use of Coal, Steam Engine
and Electricity

5
 8/30/2023

SPINNING JENNY
is a multi-spindle spinning frame that reduced the
amount of work needed to produce yarn, with a worker
able to work eight or more spools at once.

OTHER IMPORTANT INVENTIONS

ELI WHITNEY ELIAS HOWE

INTERCHANGEABLE SEWING MACHINE
PARTS

1775 1836 1876

1798 1844

STEAM ENGINE TELEGRAPH TELEPHONE

JAMES WATT SAMUEL F.B MORSE ALEXANDER GRAHAM
BELL

6
 8/30/2023

OTHER IMPORTANT INVENTIONS

NIKOLA TESLA ORVILLE & WILBUR WRIGHT

INDUCTION ELECTRIC FIRST AIRPLANE
MOTOR

1879 1892 1908

1888 1903

INCANDESCENT DIESEL ENGINE MODEL T

RUDOLF DIESEL HENRY FORD
LIGHT BULB
THOMAS EDISON

BERNARDO RAMAZZINI

In 1717, Bernardo Ramazzini first

introduced to physicians the common
injuries or disorders that arose from
eighteen century occupations in his
treatise De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (The
Disease of Workers).

7
 8/30/2023

WOJCIECH JASTRZEBOWSKI

He created the word ergonomics

in 1857 in a philosophical
narrative, “based upon the truths
drawn from the Science of
Nature” (Jastrzebowski, 1857).

Bad Time for Mankind. Good

Start for Ergonomics.

8
 8/30/2023

HOW IT WAS STARTED?

AXIS FORCES

GERMANY ITALY Japan

ALLIED FORCES

UNITED
POLAND UNITED KINGDOM FRANCE
STATES

9
 8/30/2023

ERGONOMICS ON WORLD WAR II…

World War II prompted greater interest in human-machine

interaction as the efficiency of sophisticated military equipment
(i.e., airplanes).

DURING WORLDWAR
AFTER WORLD WARIIII

10
 8/30/2023

SAFETY & PRODUCTIVITY

11
 8/30/2023

HUMAN
FACTORS VS ERGONOMICS

Why Ergonomics and

Human Factors are
DIFFERENT?

12
 8/30/2023

International
Encyclopedia of
Ergonomics and
Human Factors:
“ergonomics and
human factors are
possibly two separate
subject areas which are
being covered”.

International
Encyclopedia of
Ergonomics and
Human Factors:
“The conjunctive “and”
strongly supports this
interpretation”.

13
 8/30/2023

If ergonomics and
human factors
were
synonymous, why
not just use one
name?

International
Encyclopedia of
Ergonomics and
Human Factors:
“And for that matter why
not call this encyclopedia,
the International
Encyclopedia of
Ergonomics/Human
Factors?”.

14
 8/30/2023

HUMAN FACTORS
In the United States to
refer to cognitive
design issues as “human
factors” and physical
design issues as
“ergonomics.”

HUMAN FACTORS
There are three basic human factors
that must be accounted for in the
design of the workplace:
(1) people are different
(2) people have limitations, and
(3) people have certain expectations
and predictable responses to
given situations

15
 8/30/2023

People are Different

People come in different

shapes and sizes. Yet, the
workplace is often
designed based on the
premise that “one size fits
all.”

People have Limitations

The physical and mental

limits that confront
humans are numerous.

16
 8/30/2023

People have Predictable

Reaction

The cognitive processes—

how humans think, make
decisions, and react

ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics has a
traditional
relationship with the
physical aspects of
work, while human
factors has a greater
relationship to
cognitive
involvement.

17
 8/30/2023

Musculo-
Skeletal
Disorders(MSD)

Musculoskeletal System
It provides form, support,
stability, and movement to the
body. It is made up of the bones
of the skeleton, muscles,
cartilage, tendons, ligaments,
joints, and other connective
tissue that supports and binds
tissues and organs together.

18
 8/30/2023

Musculo-Skeletal Disorders (MSD)

Are injuries and disorders that affect the human
body’s movement or musculoskeletal system

Example of Musculo-Skeletal Disorders(MSD)

MUSCLES and TENDONS

19
 8/30/2023

Example of Musculo-Skeletal Disorders(MSD)

DISCS and BLOOD VESSELS

Example of Musculo-Skeletal
Disorders(MSD)

LIGAMENTS and NERVES

20
 8/30/2023

What are Work Related

Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
(WMSDs)?
• WMSDs are also known as:
• Cumulative Trauma
Disorders (CTDs)
• Repetitive Strain Injuries
(RSIs)
• Overuse injuries
• They are soft tissue injuries
which occur gradually

SYPTOMS OF CAUSES OF
(WMSDs) (WMSDs)
• Discomfort • Burning • Heavy, Frequent, or Awkward
Lifting
• Pain • Swelling
• Pushing, Pulling or Carrying
• Change in color Loads
• Numbness
• Tightness, loss of • Working in Awkward Postures
• Inflammation • Hand Intensive Work
flexibility
• Vibration
• Contact Stress

21
 8/30/2023

Risk factors for

WMSDs
Heavy
Frequent or
Awkward Lifting

HEAVY LIFTING

There are only recommendations for maximum

weight a person can lift.

22
 8/30/2023

FREQUENT LIFTING
Lifting more than twice per minute

AWKWARD LIFTING
Lifting above the shoulders, below the knees or at arms’
length

23
 8/30/2023

Phrases that Describes Ergonomics...

“fit the task to the person, not the person

to the task.”

24
 8/30/2023

IN REALITY….

“Work smarter, not harder”

25
 8/30/2023

IN REALITY….

Ergonomics
provides a
method for
finding smarter
ways of working.

26
8/30/2023

27
 8/30/2023

In the
Philippines…

CAPIZ
“SEAFOOD CAPITAL OF
THE PHILIPPINES”
Capital: Roxas City

28
 8/30/2023

VOODOO
ERGONOMICS
It is a
misunderstood
application of
Ergonomics. Forcing
to fit the workplace
to the worker or
forcing to design
the product to its
user without
considering
worker’s or user’s
satisfaction.

29