Ergonomics at Work

Ergonomics at Work

Done right, a focus on ergonomics will result in increased worker well being and optimized performance.

Fit the task to the worker — not the worker to the task.

As people, we all have different capabilities, needs, and limitations. Especially in the United States, we are facing a considerable workforce diversity, and have to find ways to accommodate the majority of our workforce to be successful. Societal trends like, e.g., an aging population, make it even more important to adjust the jobs to meet the employees’ needs. As such, industrial ergonomic design is the basis of sustainable success in a competitive business environment.

The Economics of Ergonomics

TOP 10 Causes and Direct Cost of the Most Disabling U.S. Workplace Injuries Highlighting the Importance of Ergonomics.

economics ergonomics chart 2021

WMSDs account
for 33% of all lost
workday injuries and
illnesses annually.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are injuries and disorders of soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and the nervous system caused by repetitive motions.

While automation in the workplace can improve quality and productivity, many of the manual tasks that remain are repetitive.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)

Disorders Occupational Risk Factors Symptoms
Tendonitis / tenosynovitis Repetitive wrist or shoulder motions, consistent hyper extension of arms, shouldering loads for length of time Pain, weakness, swelling, burning sensation or dull ache
Epicondylitis (elbow tendonitis) Repeated rotation of the forearm and bending of the wrist at the same time Pain, weakness, swelling, burning sensation or dull ache
Carpal tunnel syndrome Repetitive wrist motions Pain, numbness, tingling, burning sensations, wasting of muscles at base of thumb, dry palms
DeQuervain’s disease Forceful gripping and continuous twisting of the hand Pain at the base of thumb
Thoracic outlet syndrome Prolonged shoulder flexion, reaching arms above shoulder height, shouldering loads for length of time Pain, numbness, swelling of the hands
Tension neck syndrome Prolonged restricted or unnatural posture Pain
Why is Ergonomics Important?
Workforce diversity has put an end to the “one size fits all” approach and made designing workstations for the “average” worker obsolete. Properly designed workstations should accommodate 5th to 95th percentile users or 90 percent of operators. This alone can increase productivity up to 25% over traditional fixed workstations by reducing unnecessary motions.
Ergoman Diagram Height

Boost Your Productivity

With These Ergonomic Principles