The ergonomics is a discipline in charge of design and adapt workplaces to achieve an interaction between the individual, the place where he works and machines. Its objective is to optimize three very important elements for organizations, such as the human, the machine and the environment where they operate. The development of this discipline is recent in the workplace, for this reason, there is a great need for health professionals to incorporate ergonomic criteria into their activities.
What is Ergonomics
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Ergonomics is a rational and methodical discipline whose main objective is to adapt machines and workplaces to man, so that he can carry out activities without affecting his physical integrity, so its use is mandatory in all the companies.
All the work elements in an organization must be elaborated according to the needs and characteristics of the people who make it up, it is at this point where occupational ergonomics intervenes, in combination with other specialists and professionals from different areas, such as psychologists, engineers, nurses, doctors, therapists, nurses, architects, designers.
The main objective of ergonomics is to adapt work activities according to the qualities that the individual possesses, this is because work instruments are created according to the needs of those who are going to use them. Each individual has a way of thinking different from another, for example, regarding the social and political structure, for this reason, workplaces must be designed in such a way that they are prepared for constant changes. The main objectives of ergonomics are:
- Investigate, specify and reduce occupational risks or accidents, both ergonomically and psychologically.
- Adjust the position and job functions according to the functions performed by the worker.
- Verify that the income of new technologies in companies is adjusted, according to the qualities and skills of the workers already existing in them.
- Implement ergonomic provisions for the acquisition of tools, tools and materials to carry out work activities.
- Implement a pleasant work environment.
- Increase productivity and avoid personnel change.
Ergonomics Types
Ergonomics as a diverse discipline, must deal with different aspects of reality, the relationship or coexistence of individuals, product and environment. For this reason there are different types of ergonomics, the most important are the following:
Physical Ergonomics
It is concerned with anatomical, physiological, anthropometric (measurements and proportions of the human body) and human biomechanical conditions. Evaluates the work material, body posture and working hours, with the aim of avoiding physical illnesses and thus facilitating work performance.
His topics of greatest interest are:
- Postures at work.
- Use of material manuals.
- Repetition of movements.
- Injuries to muscles and tendons.
- Designs of work areas.
- Security.
- Occupational health.
Ergonomics for the Disabled
It is in charge of designing and developing equipment to facilitate the working day for construction workers and professionals who suffer from a physical disability, designing autonomous micro-environments. These designs are made only for some people, who due to their disability, cannot perform the work in a normal way.
Cognitive Ergonomics
This ergonomics focuses on the adequacy of the job, according to the psychological needs of the individual. It is about designing devices or services to reduce the stress produced by excess activities. His main interest is mental processes, such as:
- Perception.
- Reasoning.
- Memory.
- Motor response.
Visual Ergonomics
It is the correct lighting, posture and use of adequate optical compensations, with respect to what is being looked at. The objective of this ergonomics is to have a correct visual health and avoid possible eye diseases. Some of the factors that influence visual ergonomics are:
- The postures, the movements that are made, or the environment.
- The work schedule and breaks.
- The mental and physical effort that is required in the activity.
- The temperature, lighting and air conditioning of the area where the task is carried out.
Lighting, the size of objects and incorrect postures are the factors with the greatest influence on work performance and can cause visual dysfunction, the consequences of which are:
- Visual fatigue
- Visual performance decreases.
- Psychological factors, such as general stress.
- Probabilities of accidents.
Ergonomics Examples
One of the most widely used examples are people who work with a computer.
- The size of the font and the brightness of the screen must be adequate so as not to strain the eyes.
- The screen must be oriented towards good ambient lighting, preferably perpendicular to the window or light points.
- The screen should be placed 40 or 50 cm at eye level, in this way you avoid straining your neck.
- The workspace should remain orderly, items that need to be used frequently should be between 25 and 100 cm away, and those that are least used 60 or 160 cm away.
- the chair must be suitable so that the legs form a 90 degree angle. If this is not possible, use a footrest.
What are the benefits of good ergonomics?
Ergonomics studies work environments and elements, in order to make them more comfortable for workers and thus avoid anxiety and stress, as well as occupational diseases, enriching the work experience and making it more productive.
The main benefits that a correct ergonomics offers are the following:
1. Avoid occupational hazards.
2. Achieve a correct posture of the worker, in front of a computer or any other work machine.
3. Reduces the physical discomfort of the worker.
4. Significantly improves worker productivity.
5. Reduces fatigue in workers.
6. Helps to obtain information from the people involved, on the aspects that must be improved in the work environment.
7. Avoid work absenteeism.
8. Creates a culture of health and safety in workers, generating better human performance in the organization.
What are the consequences of bad ergonomics?
Poor ergonomics or poor body posture, as it is also known, can affect both health and the proper functioning of the body. In general, a worker spends more time in the office than what is agreed by law, sitting in front of a computer without moving. A poor posture during the working day can affect the spine, as well as an impaired body image.
The most well-known consequences for bad ergonomics are:
- Pain in the lumbar area, this is present when the person sits for a long time, with the back bent or when the waist breaks when standing. This can be extended to the buttocks and legs.
- Pain in the central area of the back is common when a person is sitting with an exaggerated dorsal curve and when he or she remains standing for a long time.
- Headaches and neck pain are very common and can be caused by muscle tension on the cervical joints, from spending a lot of time staring at a monitor.
- The bulging belly is a bad posture adopted by people, who inadvertently, when walking or standing, propel the pelvis forward, the same happening with the abdominal muscles and causing the appearance of a tummy or paunch, even in thin people.
