Office Ergonomics

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Office Ergonomics

• Joe Brenneman
• ISE 3014
• Work Measurement and Methods
• Engineering
• From Professional Safety Vol.50 No.7 Page 22-30

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What is Office Ergonomics?

• Ergonomics is the study of how you interact with
  your work and work environment.
• Office ergonomics focuses on arranging your work
  environment to fit your needs while you do your
  job.

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Why Office Ergonomics?

• Reduce adverse health effects from video display
  terminal (VDT).
• Work related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD)
• Repetitive strain injuries (RSI)
• 34 of lost workdays are due to WMSD and RSI
• Costing businesses 15-20 million dollars a year
  in workers compensation, and upwards of 60
  million dollars in indirect costs.
• Enhance organizational effectiveness and
  facilitate the change process.

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System Design Approach

• Analysis
• What is the current performance of the
  organization and the
• workers?
• What is the desired performance of the
  organization and the
• workers?
• Design
• Try to match the worker with the job, and worker
  with the work environment.
• Object by object design.
• Development
• Research
• Implement
• Pre Surveys and Assessments

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System Design Approach

• Evaluate
• Conduct evaluation after a realistic amount of
  time.
• Post Survey and Assessment.

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Real Study Example

• Telemarketing Company, call center 4,050
  employees.
• Pre assessment of VDT knowledge.
• 67 of employees had correct responses.
• After Training
• More than 93 of employees had correct responses.
• Post observations
• More than 85 of employees were able to apply
  techniques taught.
• Higher levels of user control as employees
  continually adjusted their workstation to meet
  various job demands.

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Telemarketing Call Center

• Changes made to work environment
• Chair adjustment
• Monitor placement
• Height and adjustment of keyboards
• Working surfaces
• Change in posture
• Breaks for exercise or movement

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Cost and Benefit

• Return on Investment
• After first year
• 15 decrease in reported upper extremity WMSDs
• 33 decrease in average lost workdays due to
  WMSDs
• An overall increase in worker control and
  efficiency and a reduction in stress.
• The money saved from workers compensation
  surpassed the cost of training after the first
  year and a half.
• After the second year, decreases in WMSDs
  continued.

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Conclusion

• A well designed office coupled with ergonomic
  techniques can lead to better efficiency and
  reduction in worker stress.