Ergonomics

Ergonomics comes from the two Greek words of “ergon,” meaning work and “nomoi,” meaning natural laws. Ergonomics is the scientific study of human capabilities and limitations in relation to work demands. It is also known as human engineering.

Ergonomists design and evaluate tasks, jobs, products and environments to make them compatible with the capabilities and limitations of people in the workforce. The most commonly studied effects of ergonomically incorrect environments are the repetitive strain injuries. The following are three different types of ergonomics that ergonomists study and evaluate:

· Physical ergonomics is the human body’s responses to physical and physiological work loads. Repetitive strain injuries from repetition, vibration, force, and posture fall into this category.

· Cognitive ergonomics deals with the mental processes and capacities of humans when at work. Mental strain from workload, decision making, human error, and training fall into this category.

· Organizational ergonomics deals with the organizational structures, policies and processes in the work environment, such as shift work, scheduling, job satisfaction, motivation, supervision, teamwork, telecommuting, and ethics.

Physical ergonomics is the type best used to describe the physical injuries resulting from over use of certain muscles, joints, and tendons, as well as strain to the eye in the workplace. Repetitive strain injuries from computer use also fall into this category of ergonomics, because of the physical strain of keyboarding, mousing, and viewing the computer screen. Always make sure that the ergonomics of your workstation are compatible with your body to avoid injury.

Here are some ergonomics tips to follow while in the workplace:

· Good posture - Be sure to sit all the way back in your chair. Your knees should be lower than or at the same level as your hips. Keep your feet supported.

· Typing technique - Your arms should "float" over your keyboard - your wrists/palms should not be resting on the desktop or even on a wrist rest (unless you are breaking between typing spurts). Keep your wrists straight and hands relaxed (this is true when using your pointing device, as well). Hit the keys lightly.

· Placement - Your monitor should be at an arm's length away from you at eye level (you should not have to tilt your head in any way to see the screen). Keep your keyboard and mouse close together and within close reach. Center your keyboard in front of you.

· Breaks - It is important to take lots of breaks. And these breaks are even better if you do some stretching during them.

The abovementioned tips are just a few of the things you can do to make your time spent in the office more comfortable. For more tips and information, check out the following article:

Office Ergonomics