Diversified Ergonomics & Hand Rehabilitation Services
Reference guide:
- Ergonomics and Health
- Occupational Health and Injury Risk Factors
- Suggestions For Arranging Your Computer Worksite
- Postural and Workstyle Considerations for Computer Users
- How To Select and Adjust Your Chair
- How To Select An Ergonomic Tool
- Exercise Principles
- Information About Hand and Wrist Splints
- Body Mechanics and Lower Back Pain
Ergonomics and Health
Ergonomics is classically defined as the fit between the worker and the work environment and the interaction between the worker, the environment, and the task. It comes from the Greek words ergo, meaning work and nomics meaning natural law. It is not a pure science unto itself but rather combines knowledge from the fields of Anatomy, Physiology, Physics, Psychology, and epidemiological research methodology.
The goal of ergonomic assessment is to identify, evaluate, quantify, and minimize risk factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal injury and impaired performance and to reduce the effect of these factors on the worker. This is accomplished through a process of evaluation, intervention, and re-evaluation to determine the effects of the intervention.
Methods used to measure and to correct ergonomic problems include the use of videotaping and goniometry, electromyography, force gauge measurements, heart rate and blood pressure monitors, mathematical/ physics analysis, . The results of testing with these tools and instruments are compared to criteria established through research methodology to limits determined in the scientific literature, known as maximal permissible limits.
Three different types or levels of ergonomic modifications, known as controls, may be recommended - engineering controls, administrative controls, and work practice controls. The gold standard of changes are engineering controls which aimed at modifying the tools and the environment so that the opportunity for exposure to risk factors and human error are minimized. Administrative controls are geared to changing the organizational and process issues in a company, such as reducing work pace and initiating worker rotation. Work practice controls refer to training and the fostering specific methods of task performance such as teaching a preferred lifting or typing technique.
Please note that this information is here for your general reference. It is not intended to serve as definitive data or to substitute for information that should be acquired directly from a trained professional. Also, please note that the information is copyrighted by Ellen Kolber and may not be used without permission.
Occupational Health and Injury Risk Factors
Workplace health may be compromised due to exposure to a number of factors in the environment. Exposure to toxic chemicals or poor air quality, for example, may cause or contribute to acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Musculoskeletal health may be jeopardized if a worker is exposed to hazardous biomechanical conditions. Injuries from biomechical workplace factors are often termed work-related musculosketal disorders (WMSDs). They are described as painful conditions of the hands, arms, neck, and back that develop over days, weeks or years. Other terms used to describe this general group of disorders. include Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), Cumulative Trauma Disorder (CTD), Repetitive Motion Disorder (RMD), and Overuse Syndrome. Epidemiological research has determined that if these biomechanical conditions are present, the incidence of work-related injuries increases. These conditions are therefore known as risk factors for musculoskeletal injury.
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