Definition

Anthropometry
Workstation Design
Tools and Machines Design
Working environment
Physical Workload
NIOSH Lifting and Carrying analysis
• Industrial Ergonomics - Study of human abilities
and characteristics which affect the design of
equipment, systems, and jobs in industrial
environment

• Human factor -scientific discipline concerned

with the understanding of interactions among
humans and other elements of a system by
applying principles of psychology to designing
products and creating work environments that
boost productivity while minimizing safety
issues.
1. Refers to the measurement of the human individual
2. Anthropometric data –physical human body
dimension scale including static and dynamic
characteristics
3. Static characteristics – length of arm, finger, head
circumference
4. Dynamic characteristics – noise limit, vibration limit
5. Anthropometric data is influenced by:
 Race (south East Asian man might be smaller than
European man)
 Gender – (male is bigger than female)
 Age – infant (1-3 yrs) smaller than teenagers (11-15
yrs)
 Body dimensions are called anthropometric dimensions.
They are collected according the specific group:
 By nationality/race
 By gender
 By age group

 Data representative:
 5%tile for small size
 50%tile for average/medium size
 95% tile for large size

 Ergonomics misunderstandings
 “Design for average are fit for all”
 ‘design satisfactory for me is good for all”
 “Human will eventually adapt to the tasks and environment”

 Refer to outermost percentile size to suit every size

 Example application:

 The height of door @ corridor path is

according to the large size (95% ile)
+allowance

 The length of a bed is according to the

large size (95% ile)+allowance . The height
of the bed is according to knee high of
small size (5% ile).

 Seat depth of a chair is according to thigh

length of small size (5% ile). Seat width is
according to buttock width of large size
(95% ile)
 Workstation design
 Hand tools and machine design
 Working environment
 Physical workload
 Workstation is the location where worker (s)
perform their tasks at certain time
 The interaction between human and workspace
will affect productivity by many factors:
A.Method of reach and grasp
B.Allowance (eg. Legs , feet, elbows)
C.Range of sight
D.Body posture
A) Method of reach and grasp

Wrist and hand circular motion

Normal and maximum reach

Method of reach and grasp

 For grasping purpose – normal reach

Example : using tools
 For reaching /touching purpose – normal to
maximum reach
Example : reach for switch, buttons
B) Allowance

Allow circular motion while setting for

feet allowance

Body part allowance while

working either sitting or
standing
C) Range of sight
 The aim is to allow less head and eye movement
 The position of eye is in alignment with level of
control & display panel
 Threshold of sight area:

a) Main area
 No need of eye and head movement
 61° under normal sight line
 Emergency, danger and critical indicator

b) Secondary
 Only slight movement of eye from normal sight
position
c) Tertiary
 Movement of eye from normal sight position
D) Body posture
 Two conditions: sitting and standing
 Standing:
 A lot of movement and need sole of foot protection
 Non precision work
 Example: loading/unloading load, metal – handwork
 Sitting
 Precision work and long working hours
 Movement of hands, head and feet but more on
concentration work
 Example: precision handwork, computer workstation,
assembling small components
Chair
 Critical dimension

 Seat depth
 Seat width
 Back and hand support
 Seat height
 Inappropriate design leads to:

 Small area of seat = uncomfortable and pressure to

buttock and thigh-contact stress
 Seat too high = stress on leg
 Improper backrest design= back pain
Workstation
 Inappropriate design leads to

 Too high = pain on neck, shoulder and arms

 Too low= pain on the back, neck

 Basically the suitable height for general-tasks
workstation is 10-15 cm under elbow height
 For precision tasks, the suitable height is 0-10cm over
elbow height. The workstation automatically provide
support to the arms which are loaded with static load
during performing the task.
 For light tasks, the height is 5-10 cm under elbow
height
 For heavy task, it requires a lot of movement of upper
body area at a larger degree of freedom. The suitable
height for the workstation is 5-40 cm under elbow
height.
 Suggested workstation height

Suggestion on height of work bench for standing position. Reference line (0)
is the height of elbow from the floor with the average 105 cm for men & 98
cm for women
 Bad machine and tool design is one of the
factors which contributed to human error
 Good interaction between human and
machine is crucial on ensuring efficiency in
work / operation
 Ergonomics factor in machine design mainly
focused on display and control devices
 Ergonomics factor in hand tools focused on
the handle design, force exertion
requirement, size and weight
Display
 Is the information screen for workers for the
purposes of machine setup and status reference
 Design aspect to be considered:

 Colour
 Indicator size
 Symbol
 Font size
 Panel position
Colour
 The function of color is an identity to an operation/
situation or to organize
 Red = danger, stop
 Green = exit, run
 Selection of colour to machines and facilities layout
are also important
 Machines – soft green
 Pathways – yellow tapes
 Critical area/ machines – striped yellow-black tapes
 Storage (drawers, cabinets) – white tapes
Display
Display

Suggestion on proportions on small

and big capitals
Control device
 To control operation using push-pull button,
paddle, hand wheel and others
 Design aspects to be considered
 Only small force required
 Control size
 Human body size – hands and feet
 direction
Control device

Knob movement must be parallel

with hand movement
 The aim of ergonomics design on hand tools is to
ease the controlling of the tools and reducing
discomfort during handling
 Aspects to be considered:
 Easy to handle and efficient
 Safety
 Comfortable
 Good hand tools characteristics
 Weight less
 Handle materials minimize/absorb vibration
 No awkward posture of hands – hand joints at
ease/straight
 Good distribution or focus of force/stress
OLD NEW

GOOD
BAD

Distribution and focus of Hand postures

force
 Working environment includes inside or outside
the facilities
 Environment factors:
 Temperature extremes
 Noise
 Lighting
 Vibration
 Ergonomics problem occurred when overexposed
to these factors
 Three types control measures implemented:
 Administrative control
 Engineering control
 PPE
Noise
 Industrial noise is any excessive sound or harmful
sound within the facilities
 Sustained exposure can cause permanent hearing
damage
 Acts as a causal factor for stress and raises systolic
blood pressure.
 Noise hazard can be reduced by control on the
sources (decrease the sound of an instrument,
regular maintenance etc)
 Engineering control: Noise insulator (wall material)
 PPE
 Administrative control: Limit exposure (working
shifts, department shuffle)
Vibration
 Vibration hazard detected at > 25Hz – 150Hz at
amplitude 100µm
 The source of vibration might be from vibrating
machines, hand tools
 Effect:
 Lost of focus
 Muscle pain
 Raised blood pressure
 Control measures:
 Insulator (wall /floor material)
 PPE (Leather gloves/industrial grade boots)
 Separate wall
 Limit exposure to vibrating tools – use machine
Temperature extremes
 Working conditions at temperature extremes is
when the working temperature is below 10°C or
higher than body temperature
 Overexposed to heat might cause faint, sunstroke,
burn and raised blood pressure
 Working at cold environment might cause numbness
 Control measures:
 Insulation suit for cold environment or fireman
 Limit exposure (working shifts, department shuffle)
 Ventilation system
Lighting
 Lighting is an essential provision for any workplace.
Good lighting helps us to see and to recognize
hazards. It can reduce visual strain and discomfort.
 Poor lighting may affect workers' performance and
health as poor visibility
 increases the chances of errors being made
 Poor lighting can be a problem when:

 Insufficient light - not enough (too little) light for the

need.
 Glare - too much light for the need.
 Improper contrast.
 Poorly distributed light.
 Flicker.
 Effect:
 misjudgment of the position, shape or speed of an
object can lead to accidents and injury.
 affect the quality of work, specifically in situation
where precision is required, and overall productivity.
 too much or too little light strains eyes and may
cause eye discomfort (burning, fatigue etc.) and
headaches.
 Control measures:
 Ensure efficient lighting for the specific task(general
or precision work) by referring to illumination guide
 Limit exposure (rest allowance)
 Proper reflectance on surface – soft color on work
surface – refer to reflectance guide
 Work done by workers using physical effort
 Overexposure to physical workload means the task
exceeded human capability
 Hazard factors:
 Lifting/handling heavy objects at a time or long
duration
 Repetitive tasks
 Awkward postures
 Static postures
 Effect of exposure:
 Cumulative trauma disorders
 Back pain
 Slip disc/joint
 Pain and discomfort
 Control measures:
 Training on correct technique of
lifting/handling
 Using handling equipment to lift/carry
/transport– hoist and jack, conveyor etc
 Redesign the facilities –reducing distances and
height, suitable workstation and chairs
 Limit exposure-by giving rest allowances,
shuffle task, shifts
 Consultation by OSH bodies – NIOSH lifting and
carrying tasks