ERGONOMICS & PRODUCT

DESIGN
Total Quality Management
Ergonomics
 Ergonomics Definition
• The International Ergonomics Association defines
ergonomics as follows:
“Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific
discipline concerned with the understanding of
interactions among humans and other elements of a
system, and the profession that applies theory,
principles, data and methods to design in order to
optimize human well-being and overall system
performance.”
Ergonomics/Human Factors Engineering
• Science of fitting tasks to man
• Derived from two Greek words – “ergon” & “nomos”
(work & natural laws)
• Areas of Anatomy , Physiology ,Psychology , Physics ,
Mathematics , Material Science &
Design
• Consists of 2 groups of specialist – (i) machine &
processes (ii) human capabilities
• Hence, ergonomists study human capabilities in
relationship to work demands
 The Ultimate Goal

Worker

Task/job Environment

The goal of ergonomics is to design the

job to fit the worker,
NOT fit the worker to the job.
5
 Roots of Ergonomics
• Bernardino Ramazinni (1633-1714) wrote about work-related
complaints (that he saw in his medical practice) in the 1713
supplement to his 1700 publication, "De Morbis Artificum
(Diseases of Workers)."
• Wojciech Jastrzebowski created the word ergonomics in
1857 in a philosophical narrative, "based upon the truths
drawn from the Science of Nature"
• Scientific Management, a method that improved worker
efficiency by improving the job process, became popular.
Frederick W. Taylor was a pioneer of this approach and
evaluated jobs to determine the "One Best Way" they could
be performed. At Bethlehem Steel, Taylor dramatically
increased worker production and wages in a shoveling task
by matching the shovel with the type of material that was
being moved (ashes, coal or ore).
• Frank and Lillian Gilbreth made jobs more efficient and less fatiguing
through time motion analysis and standardizing tools, materials and
the job process. By applying this approach, the number of motions in
bricklaying was reduced from 18 to 4.5 allowing bricklayers to increase
their pace if laying bricks from 120 to 350 bricks per hour.
• World War II , it was observed that fully functional aircraft, flown by
the best-trained pilots, still crashed. In 1943, Alphonse Chapanis, a
lieutenant in the U.S. Army, showed that this so-called "pilot error"
could be greatly reduced when more logical and differentiable controls
replaced confusing designs in airplane cockpits.
• The growing demand for and competition among consumer goods and
electronics has resulted in more companies including human factors in
product design.
• The coining of the term Ergonomics, however, is now widely attributed
to British psychologist Hywel Murrell who led the foundation of The
Ergonomics Society.
 Principles of Ergonomics
• Safety
• Comfort
• Ease of use
• Productivity and performance
• Aesthetics
 Types of Ergonomics
• Physical Ergonomics
Physical ergonomics is concerned with the way the body
interacts with the workers' tools (anything from shovels to
chairs to personal computers) and their effects on the body
such as posture, musculoskeletal disorders, repetitive
disorders, workplace layout and workplace health and safety.
• Cognitive Ergonomics
Cognitive Ergonomics relates to the way the mind processes
information it is presented with and associated motor
functions, memory usage, decision-making and other mental
workloads.
• Organizational Ergonomics
Organizational Ergonomics is concerned with optimizing the
workplace, everything from teamwork to assessing tele
 Ergonomist’s Consideration
• Physical size and shape (anthropometry & biomechanics)
• Physical needs (physiology & biology)
• Body rhythms (chronobiology)
• Human input characteristics (physiology, sensory psychology, physics)
• Information and decisions (graphic design, psychology, information
sciences)
• Human output characteristics (biomechanics, physiology, psychology,
communication studies)
• Environmental tolerances (biology, psychology, forensics)
• Data capture & analysis (statistics, business methods, graphic design)
• Working practices & business processes (design, engineering,
management, psychology,)
• Organisational restructuring (organisational theory)
• Culture & motivation (psychology, sociology)
• Systems design (systems engineering principles, OR, disaster studies)
 Why Ergonomics?
• Reduces the potential for injury and ill health (therefore costs)
• Increases efficiency
• Saves time
• Improved Quality
• Improves employee morale
• Reduces absenteeism
• Improve productivity and performance
• Accidents can be reduced through better design of controls(If,
for example, a switch on a control board is switched on
accidentally it may mean the switch should be moved to prevent
accidental operation. This is ergonomics in action. )
 Applications
• Aerospace
• Aging
• Health care
• IT
• Product Design
• Transportation
• Training
• Nuclear and
• Virtual environment
 Other areas being Explored
• Ergonomics for Children
• Ergonomics for Women
• Extraordinary Ergonomics
• Light Ergonomics
• Phone Ergonomics
 Role in Product & Equipment Design

• Man , as an occupant of space

• Man , as a reader of display from the machine
• Man, as the one who takes action
 Man , as an occupant of space
• Anthropometry
• Not averages , but ranges
• Eg – most adults range
between 1.50m – 1.85m
tall , but in some extreme
cases its could go upto
2.05m.
• 5th , 50th and 95th
percentiles
• Use of manikins for
design
 Man , as a reader of display from the machine
• Pictorial Display – direct
representation of the real situation. For
example , a spot moving across a map
representing the position of an aircraft.
• Qualitative Display - can provide
information the general situation
rather than numerical (e.g. on or
off). For example – a light indicating
low oil pressure rather than units.
• Quantitative Display - A quantitative
display provides information in terms
of numerical values. For example, a
quantitative speed reading would show
that you are driving at 30 miles per
hour.
 Man, as the one who takes action

• A control is a device that enables an operator to change the state of momentum

• Converts output of operator into the input of a machine (connecting links)
• Handwheel
• Crank
• Thumbwheel
• Knob
• Toggle Switch
• Joystick
• Lever
• Footpedal
• Treadle
• Handle
• Note – Which limb to be used for which purpose
(Eg – foot – best for provision of powerful continuous force and hands – speed and
precision
 Thumbwheel
CRANK

HANDWHEEL

TOGGLE SWITCH
Lever
KNOB
 HANDLE

FOOTPEDAL

JOYSTICK

TREADLE
 Design Implications
• Small variations of all postures should be made
possible
• Appropriate location of controls and display
• Provision of back rest
• Provision of arm rest and placement of hand controls
• Size , height and slope of seats
 Ergonomic Risk Factors
Static Loading

Repetition

Force
re ct
St nta
ss
Co

Awkward
Posture

Vibration

Risk of injury increases with:

 Prolonged exposure to any of these ergonomic risk factors
 Presence of multiple risk factors within a single job task
 Musculoskeletal Disorders/Repetitive Strain Injuries

• MSD is a term that refers to a broad

range of soft tissue disorders, such as
those affecting the spinal discs, muscles, Space key - 669
joints, cartilage, nerves, blood vessels, times per hour
tendons or ligaments. Eg. Carpal tunnel of active
computer use.
syndrome
• RSIs represent the accumulation of
many small injuries suffered during
daily, routine activities. These injuries
result from decreased blood flow or
strain to the affected areas of the body,
which can cause nerve compression,
1000 mouse
ligament damage, muscle strain and clicks per
joint damage — small injuries that begin day
to add up.
 Facts – study by Microsoft
• Average desktop computer use rate of 5.8 hours per day,
accounting for 69 percent of their total working hours
• Injury leads to an average of 12 lost days of work
• Costs on average $38,500 for worker’s compensation costs
• Worker productivity and effectiveness have also been shown
to diminish
• 632 newly hired computer users for up to three years and
found that over 50 percent of them reported repetitive strain
symptoms during the first year of their new job. Worse, 68
percent of the reported RSI symptoms were deemed to be
severe enough to be classified
 Ergonomics For Workspace Design
Head height
• Position displays at or below eye level because people naturally look
slightly downward.
Shoulder height
• Control panels should be placed between shoulder and waist height.
• Avoid placing above shoulder height objects or controls that are used
often.
Arm reach
• Place items within the shortest arm reach to avoid over-stretching while
reaching up or outward.
• Keep frequently used materials and tools close to and in front of the
body.
Elbow height
• Adjust work surface height so that it is at or below elbow height for most
job tasks.
Hand height
• Make sure that items that have to be lifted are kept between hand and
shoulder height.
Leg length
• Adjust chair height according to leg length and the height of the work
surface.
• Allow space so that legs can be outstretched, with enough space for long
legs.
• Provide an adjustable footrest so that legs are not dangling and to help
the worker change body position.
Hand size
• Hand grips should fit the hands.
Body size
• Allow enough space at the workstation for the largest worker.
Workstation
 The job should be designed to allow the
worker to keep the arms low and the elbows
close to the body
 Position of Back and Legs

• Lift the object close to your body otherwise the muscles of the
back and the ligaments stretch and the pressure in the
intervertebral discs increases
• Tense your stomach and back muscles so that your back stays in
the same position all the time you are lifting
Appropriate Hand Position
 Position of the arms and grip

• Try to grasp the object firmly using your whole

hands at right angles to your shoulder
 Lifting to the side

•Lifting a weight and twisting the body at the same time

increases the risk of back injury.
•Place your feet in a walking position, one foot pointing slightly
in the direction of the lift. Lift the object and then shift the
weight of the body onto the foot in the turning direction.
 Position of the Legs

• Keep your feet apart to maintain your balance well

• Stand close to the object. The closer you can get to
the object, the safer it is to lift
 Lifting Upward

• Place your feet in a walking position.

• First raise the object to chest level.
• Then begin pushing upwards by moving your feet out in order to get the object
moving and shift the weight of your body onto the front foot.
 Lifting with others

• The lifting movements must be made at the same time and at the same speed.
• The maximum weights recommended by the International Labour Organization
are:
• Men:  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . occasionally 55 kg., repeatedly 35 kg.
• Women:  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  occasionally 30 kg., repeatedly 20 kg.
 Carrying

• Carry objects close to your body

• Spread the weight evenly over both hands.
Clothing
On some jobs arm supports and rests may
reduce arm fatigue
Good Ergonomics
Bad Ergonomics
Ergonomic Issue – the design of the
product is away from standard norms. Red
is a hardcore understanding of
stop/danger.
• Black controls on a black background, they are
almost invisible! Moreover, they do not stand
out as they are nicely integrated, all of them
including the on/off button
• Ergonomic Issue
-The placement of
the cup holder is bad
because
- (i) hinders access to
the music player
- (ii) obstructs gear
movement
• Ergonomic Issue - This picture
shows the inside of one of the main
doors in a large commercial jetliner.
After closing the door, the flight
attendant attaches the emergency
slide on the inside of the door. After
attaching the slide, the attendant
attaches this red strip across the
window. It is meant to signal to a
person outside to not open the
door. Opening the door could be
deadly since the emergency slide
would automatically inflate.
• Design suggestion - When there is a
strong likelihood of forgetting a
critical step in a hazardous
procedure, it would be better to
have an automatic way of doing
that step. For example - have a sign
or signal (red light) that
automatically occurs when the slide
is activated.
 Kitchen Ergonomics
Consider the current ergonomics of your kitchen. Ensure you
incorporate the classic triangle rule, where the sink, oven and
refrigerator sit in a triangular formation, when designing the
layout of your space.
BMW X6 Ergonomics
 Upon your Level.
Head-Up Display in the BMW X6.

• Presents important information directly in the driver's viewing field.

• A unit in the dashboard projects the data onto the windscreen as a clear,
easy-to-read image, adjusted for ambient light conditions, with a focal
point just above the bonnet.
• The height of the display can even be adjusted so that information is
always projected in the driver's optimal field of vision.
• Information can be read faster, and the driver's attention is never
distracted from the road ahead.
 Information at your fingertips.
The iDrive control concept on the BMW X6.

• Frequently used features can be assigned to one of the eight favourite buttons.
• The Control Display, optimally situated above the central console, informs and
guides you with ease leaving your gaze, and your thoughts, free to focus on the
pleasure of driving.
 All-round vision.
Adaptive Headlights of the BMW X6.

• Sensors constantly monitor the car’s speed and steering

angle, then calculate curve progressions accordingly.
• When you turn left or right, the low-beam settings
complement the Adaptive Headlights by activating an
extra reflector in the inner fog lights to light up the road
ahead.
 Giving you eyes where you need them.
Camera systems in the BMW X6.

• Two additional front-end cameras are integrated in the front bumper, one on the
left and one on the right.
• The images obtained, transmitted to the Control Display, offer not only additional
comfort when manoeuvring, but also give the driver an immediate overview of
traffic conditions around the car when driving through a narrow gate or leaving a
car park.
• And thanks to the Top View, the driver is also able to monitor the side area of the
vehicle making it easy to check their distance to the curb when parking.
 Identifying danger.
BMW Night Vision

• This optional system reveals objects up to 300

metres ahead of the vehicle, thanks to an infrared
camera that transmits images to the Control Display.
Textile manufacturer Fieldcrest Cannon Case

• A drop of more than 80% 140

120
Ergonomic Solutions Adopted
100
• Engineering controls such as 80
121
springs for the material- 60
handling boxes. 40
• An improved bagging 20 21
system. 0
1993 1996
• The company also
purchased adjustable chairs.

MSD
 Eng. Spring
Bagging Adjustable
Systems Chair
 Woodpro Cabinetry Inc
• Decrease of almost 40 in % Workers Compensation Costs
workers' compensation
Workers Compensation Costs
costs
Ergonomic Solutions Adopted
• Dropping the conveyor belt
so workers had easier
access to the tops of
cabinets
• Installing conveyors to
$103,824
minimize manual lifting
• Angled tables to reduce $61,000
bending and reaching.
• Job rotation.

Before After
Adjustable Table
Conveyor Belts
 It Costs Less to Be Safe
Average cost of Average cost of
common WMSDs*: common controls:
Low back: $6,000 Hydraulic lift: $600

Shoulder: $7,000 Adjustable height

workstation: $800
Elbow: $4,000 Powered screwdriver:
$100
Wrist: $5,500 Assembly work
positioner: $75

* Source: SHARP Report No. 40-4a-2000

 Bibliography
• http://www.ergoweb.com/resources/reference/history.cfm
• http://docs.google.com
• http://www.safetynewsandreviews.co.uk/article.asp?c=21
• http://southernstar.whereilive.com
• www.bmw.in
• http://actrav.itcilo.org
• http://www.hfes-europe.org/badergo/bad29.htm
• http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com
• http://www.osha.gov
• http://www.ergoweb.com
• http://www.ergonomics4schools.com