The staggering cost to American industry (see our previous post), coupled with the movement to make the workplace healthier and safer gave rise to the use of ergonomics in industrial design. Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the worker with an emphasis on worker safety and comfort. Its goal is to maximize efficiency and productivity by reducing worker fatigue and discomfort. The implementation of ergonomic principles in America signifies a radical change in the way industry approaches equipment design.
According to Wikipedia, “The term ergonomics is derived from the Greek words ergon (work) and nomos (natural laws)” and was first coined by Wojciech Jastrzebowski in an article written in 1857. But the idea of ergonomics is not new. In the 5th century BC, the ancient Greeks used ergonomic principles in designing tools and performing certain tasks. Hippocrates’ description of a surgeon’s workplace shows ergonomic principles at work. Frederick Taylor, who pioneered Scientific Management in the late 1800s, sought the optimum method of performing a task. In experiments, he was able to triple the amount of coal workers could shovel by reducing the size and weight of the shovel. In the early 1900s, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth built on his method with their Time and Motion Studies. The Gilbreths worked to increase task efficiency by eliminating unnecessary steps and movements. In application, they reduced the number of motions required to lay bricks from 18 to 4.5, tripling hourly productivity. But it was the industrial demands of World War II that allowed the principles of ergonomics to be applied across a broad range of applications, heralding the modern birth of this new branch of applied science.
California was the first state to adopt an ergonomics standard in 1997, prompting other states to consider similar standards. While there is no overriding federal ergonomic safety standard, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed ergonomic standards for specific industries and tasks. Compliance is addressed under OSHA’s General Clause.
Next time: The practical benefits of ergonomics