The History of Ergonomics

As a therapist performing treatments to injured workers or if you are out in the workplace evaluating the ergonomic risk factors in order for an injured patient to safely return to work, understanding the fundamentals and history of ergonomics can ensure appropriate applications. Productive and healthy working conditions have been a concern of industry long before any true relationship between worker stress and injuries was discovered. Prior to the Industrial Revolution (1750 – 1830), work was primarily agricultural or small trade businesses, such as craftsman. There was no formal management and the skills of the workers were low or basic. What was commonly known as the “disease of the worker” in the 1700’s, are referred to as “cumulative trauma disorders” (CTD’s) today.

With the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the 1700’s in Europe and the 1800’s in America, came the introduction of machine technology, revolutionizing the way work was done. Machine technology introduced different work processes, work structures, and labor management to the workplace. These developments transformed largely rural populations into town-centered societies engaged increasingly in factory manufacturing, or mass production. The method of mass production resulted in higher volume of production, the division of labor, the development of new worker skills, specialized work, high work demands, and highly repetitive work. During this time, the first stages of formal management emerged. Management was now seen as a distinct group from workers, and this structure improved supervision over workers and productive materials.

As a result of this new method of production, new work-related injuries and accidents emerged. Cumulative Trauma injuries were now more common in the industries utilizing mass production methods than in the craft or agricultural industries.

During World War II, the military and aerospace programs turned ergonomics and human factors design the multidisciplinary science that it is today. During World War II, the complex layout of military aircraft cockpits, radar and other equipment, led to operator performance problems . Teams formed from several disciplines, including engineers, psychologists, anthropologists and physiologists. These teams were brought together to solve the design and performance problems. This was the first multidisciplinary team approach to solving ergonomics problems in the work place.

Ergonomics Defined
According to the Polish Ergonomics Society, the term “Ergonomics” was originally coined by Wojiech Jastrzebowski, a polish educator and scientist almost one hundred and fifty years ago. The term “Ergonomics” comes from the Greek root words, “ergos”, meaning, “work”, and “nomos”, meaning “laws”, -the laws of work. Today, the term “ergonomics” is becoming more and more common, there are “ergonomic chairs”, “ergonomic pens” and “ergonomic toothbrushes”; basically everything these days is “Ergonomically designed”. In more practical terms, the concept of ergonomics has come to mean finding ways to “work smarter-not harder” and “Fit the work to the worker.” In other words, “ergonomics” is the study of the physical and cognitive demands of work to ensure a safe and productive workplace.

Ergonomics is designing and improving the workplace, workstation, tools, equipment, and procedures of work in order to limit fatigue discomfort and injuries, while efficiently achieving personal and organizational goals. Ergonomics is improving the design of jobs and workstations that have unsafe qualities or have caused injury. Ergonomics is also defined as controlling errors, wasted motions, tools, material damage and quality. NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) defines Ergonomics as “the discipline that strives to develop and assemble information on people’s capacities and capabilities for use in designing jobs, products, workplaces and equipment.”

Health Ergonomics is based on the science of human physiology, pathology and its relationship to work. The healthcare professional already has the knowledge base and training in human physiology and the mechanisms of injury, required to decrease the incidence and severity of injuries in the workplace. This knowledge and experience base can also be used to optimize work capacity of both healthy and injured workers. Health Ergonomic Specialists use this knowledge of the relationship between human physiology, pathology and work to safely match the work demands to the capacity of the worker.

Ref:
www.ergorehabinc.com Con Ed courses


Nicole Matoushek MPH, PT, CEES, CSHE
www.ergorehabinc.com


ErgoRehab, Inc.

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Other articles by Nichole:

Prompt Return to Work

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The History of Ergonomics

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What is Ergonomics?

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The Cost of Work Related Injuries

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Functional Outcomes in Worker Rehab

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