A multilayered ergonomic intervention program on reducing musculoskeletal disorders in an industrial complex: A dynamic participatory approach

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are closely identified with common complaints in different workplaces. This study aimed to implement an intervention program through which ergonomic measures were dynamically localized in industry. An interventional study, including three basic layers, namely, training workshops, participatory ergonomics (PE), and workstation redesign was fulfilled in an Iranian steel manufacturing complex from 2017 to 2020. A steering committee (SC) was formed following several meetings held for clarification of the project to the management team. The SC members then attended four organized workshops managed by an ergonomics specialist. Afterwards, the basics of ergonomics were transferred to action groups. After developing ergonomic assessment tools, the ergonomic problems were prioritized and numerous positive changes were made by the action groups. The findings of the tailored checklists revealed a load of WMSDs risk factors. All the three layers of the program were implemented as initiated. Ergonomics training workshops were then held and significant differences were observed between the participants' pre/posttest mean scores in all workshops (p < 0.001). Moreover, PE measures were exercised at all levels of the organization inducing enthusiastic motivation of the workforce to consider ergonomic requirements in the workplace. Consequently, the workers' innovative ideas and the managerial support yielded diverse workstation redesigns due to a growth in either the workers' ergonomics awareness or participatory culture grounding. A multilayered ergonomic intervention was implemented in this study. In conclusion, a multifaceted long-term follow-up intervention program could be applied to enhance workers’ health status and to raise system productivity.     

Design and implementation of a fuzzy expert system for performance assessment of an integrated health, safety, environment (HSE) and ergonomics system: The case of a gas refinery

The objective of this study is to design a fuzzy expert system for performance assessment of health, safety, environment (HSE) and ergonomics system factors in a gas refinery. This will lead to a robust control system for continuous assessment and improvement of HSE and ergonomics performance. The importance of this study stems from the current lack of formal integrated methodologies for interpreting and evaluating performance data for HSE and ergonomics. Three important reasons to use fuzzy expert systems are (1) reduction of human error, (2) creation of expert knowledge and (3) interpretation of large amount of vague data. To achieve the objective of this study, standard indicators and technical tolerances for assessment of HSE and ergonomics factors are identified. Then, data is collected for all indicators and consequently, for each indicator four conditions are defined as “acceptance”, “low deviation”, “mid deviation” and “high deviation”. A membership function is defined for each fuzzy condition (set) because an indicator cannot be allocated to just one of the above conditions. The expert system uses fuzzy rules, which are structured with Data Engine. Previous studies have introduced HSE expert system whereas this study introduces an integrated HSE and ergonomics expert system through fuzzy logic.     

A multi-level systems approach for the development of tools, equipment and work processes for the construction industry

Ergonomics is a key issue in the construction industry. Many work tasks and associated equipment and tools are not designed with ergonomics principles in mind. Often, in the development of power tools for construction, any attention to ergonomics is restricted to the human-machine interface and handle design. The need for ergonomics intervention in the development process originates from considerations of safety, health, physical work load, and productivity. It is argued that in each of these respects, the construction industry has lower standards than other industries and therefore has a need and opportunity for improvement. A multi-level ergonomics approach is proposed addressing these issues. The approach defines five levels of ergonomics intervention, from designing individual tools for safety, to designing wider aspects of construction and work flow for optimal productivity. This holistic approach is illustrated using case study examples of the development of power tools and work methods.     

Do you believe in the advantage of expert systems in industrial ergonomics?

Reasons for reservations about accepting the recommendations of industrial ergonomics are first explored. A knowledge deficiency is ascertained which results in a general dependency on ergonomic experts. The experts, however, are rarely able to communicate their knowledge in a form applicable by a practitioner. The development and employment of expert systems suitable for use in work design problems are proposed to resolve this dilemma. The question of whether an interest in expert systems for industrial ergonomics can be assumed is considered. The necessary conditions for the successful development and introduction of expert systems for industrial ergonomics are derived. The extent to which currently available expert system technology can support the typical procedures in industrial ergonomics is subsequently examined.     

Cost‐effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in production

Early cost–benefit analysis of ergonomic interventions in manufacturing is in the interest of the production management and the ergonomics specialist. Because of the variety of factors and the complexity to quantify these factors, this task is not an easy one. In this article we present a case study that illustrates that the economic benefits of ergonomics may easily overwhelm the costs because of the gain in productivity and quality, not to the economic gain associated with improved health. Finally, we propose a decision tool that addresses the relevant factors in the cost–benefit analysis of ergonomics. It gives Internet support to company managers and human factor specialists to make an economic analysis prior to the start of an ergonomic intervention project. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Ergodynamics: theory and applications

Abstract

Theory and dynamics in ergonomics (ergodynamics) is being proposed for ergonomic design, improvement, and studies of dynamic work in a dynamic environment. In a more narrow sense, ergodynamics is an application of the transformation dynamics theory in ergonomics. A foundation of ergodynamics is being suggested as the three laws of: (1) mutual adaptation; (2) plurality of work functional structures; and (3) transformations. Practical applications of ergodynamics are discussed with regard to ergonomic design and mutual adaptation in human-machine-environments, professional training, control systems safety, prediction, planning and optimizing efficiency dynamics during implementation of ergonomic and engineering projects, transfer of new technologies, environment, work functions and skills, management structures, software, products, changing economic strategy. Ergodynamics helps to predict and minimize losses in productivity, quality, and safety during all these transformation periods.     

生态城市智能综合评价决策支持系统研究与实现

本文以决策支持系统理论为基础，综合运用系统工程、决策科学、人工智能、模糊 数学和神经网络等理论，对生态城市综合评价问题进行了研究，提出了生态城市智能评价决策支持系统(EICADSS)的基本结构模式介绍了EICADSS各组成部分的功能，讨论了重要组成部分工作原理，为生态城市决策者提供从信息、咨询到评价、决策、政策制定等的全面支持．     

An integral system‐ergonomic approach for IT‐based process management in complex work environments by example of manufacturing and health care

Recent trends in manufacturing and health care move these two work systems closer together from a system ergonomics point of view. Individual treatment of products, especially patients, by specialists in a distributed environment demand information technology (IT)‐based support suitable for complex systems. IT‐based support of processes in complex systems is difficult due to the lack of standard processes. IT support also means to rethink processes to use efficiency potentials. Close cooperation of users and software developers is needed to increase the ergonomic quality of the system. Therefore, suitable tools are needed: UML is available as the standard industry modeling language, Zope/Plone as the quasi‐standard for content management systems, SimPy as an object‐oriented simulation tool for event‐triggered processes, and ACT‐R as a powerful cognitive architecture for simulation of human information processes. The integration of these tools enables system‐ergonomic support of processes in the complex work system as well as of the development and deployment process. It is the base of an integral system‐ergonomic approach for IT‐based process management. Knowledge gained during process analysis either enters models or leads to the extension and adaptation of the tool chain. The models serve as basis for discussion among system ergonomists, programmers, and specialists from the work system. Further, they are understood by simulation and process support tools. Transcoding efforts between humans with different professional backgrounds and machines are reduced, and the flexibility demanded by complex systems is met. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Modeling and solving assembly line design problems by considering human factors with a real‐life application

Ergonomics has been playing an important role in assembly system design (ASD) that contains not only the main assembly line balancing problem but also the subassembly line balancing and assembly layout problem. The ergonomics in ASD has an impact both on productivity and on workers’ health, especially when frequent changes in the product mix occur. In this study, we propose a systematic approach in order to handle ASD, which consists of three subproblems, while considering ergonomic risk factors. The first two subproblems are solved simultaneously using the proposed rule‐based constructive search algorithm, where ergonomic risks are evaluated by OCRA method. Later, layout problem is solved under transportation constraints using local search methods with various neighborhood structures. To provide the applicability and evaluate the performance of the proposed systematic approach, a real‐life case study in a harness manufacturing company is solved and prototype productions are performed.     

Ergonomics study and analysis of workstations in Tunisian mechanical manufacturing

The workers’ performance in the mechanical manufacturing sector is the main factor for the improvement of productivity and quality. At present, it seems that the available information on the ergonomics and the working environment of the mechanical manufacturing actors is scarce. This study deals with the relationship between the working method and the workstation in injection mold manufacturing. An original methodology, based on the survey of operators using participatory ergonomic tools, is proposed in order to evaluate the ergonomic performance of 3 workstations: milling, turning, and drilling. The surveys concerned 3 operators. Obtained results showed that ergonomics play a key role in improving mechanical manufacturing. The results obtained from the analysis showed that ergonomics has a key role in the quality of the various tasks performed by operators. Using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) investigation tools, the examination of the workstations revealed 4 machining operations and 12 operator postures that have a direct influence on the performance of all machining stations. In addition, data from the analysis conducted on injection mold manufacturing revealed that neither the workstations were ergonomic nor the operators complied with the ergonomic rules. Based on the results obtained, a new standardized score is proposed for the RULA and REBA calculations. This score was applied and validated through another study conducted in a leaf spring manufacturing plant. The results of these studies were concretized by proposing the digital factory where CATIA software was used for the virtual design of the ergonomic workstations and their environments.     

Knowledge acquisition for the development of an upper‐body work‐related musculoskeletal disorders analysis tool

ERGO_X is a fuzzy expert system that supports workstation ergonomic analysis and provides advice on corrective measures aimed at improving the overall quality of the ergonomic design. ERGO_X was designed in a modular way to make further developments easier and to allow the selection of different ergonomic analysis contexts. The modularity feature mainly is a result of the knowledge base modular structure. Each module was built as a multilevel tree fuzzy relation. This relation reflects the interaction between attributes that are used to evaluate the level of severity of the relevant risk factors that are present at the analyzed workstation. The aim of this study is to address some aspects related to the knowledge acquisition process involved in the development of the ERGO_X knowledge base. In this regard, the author refers to her knowledge engineering activities in the development of a work‐related musculoskeletal disorder module. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 17: 149–162, 2007.     

The economic justification for ergonomics

The paper examines the impact of the economic climate on the emergence of industrial ergonomics and on its future development. A need is identified for a greater economic emphasis in the promotion of ergonomics. A case is developed using examples from the manufacturing, steel, coal and power industries to show that poor ergonomics can reduce the day-by-day efficiency of industry and that ergonomic change can result in direct economic benefit. Examples are given covering both the health/safety and performance/productivity aspects of ergonomics.     

A field methodology for the control of musculoskeletal injuries

A methodology is presented for the evaluation of jobs prone to cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) and manual material handling (MMH) injuries, which combines various tested ergonomics methodologies into a single, coherent programme. This multi-step procedure is based upon the collection of quantitative data that are used to evaluate ergonomic changes with respect to biomechanical risk, perceived comfort, productivity and quality. A method for prioritizing changes, related to cost-benefit analysis, is proposed to guide the selection of ergonomic changes in order to maximize the potential for injury reduction under specified cost constraints. The ten-step methodology has been extensively applied in industry, leading to examples and a case study.     

Prioritizing the ILO/IEA Ergonomic Checkpoints' measures; a study in an assembly and packaging industry

The Ergonomic Checkpoints of International Labour Organization provide simple and low cost solutions to improve work conditions. Since it is a useful guide to improve the workplace, it can be a powerful tool for detecting and estimating work-related risk factors by considering the risk score for each item. This study presents an approach to prioritize and score the measures of the Checkpoints using Analytic Network Process (ANP) and Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methods. These methods have been accomplished in partnership with ergonomics experts. They compared the risk factors of the solutions with respect to five ergonomic criteria which are determined by themselves. Also a model has been developed to score the measures for each workplace. An empirical study was done in an assembly and packaging industry to illustrate an example of using the weighted Checkpoints. The findings of the empirical study indicated that the weighted Ergonomic Checkpoints manual is able to estimate the approximate risk of workplaces and detect the riskier situations.     

多因素分层模糊综合风险评估方法的应用研究

针对电子档案信息安全指标体系中的指标属性冗余的问题,提出了基于相关分析的指标属性检测方法。该方法采用量化指标属性的原则,根据指标属性的平均值和标准差,度量指标属性间的相关性;针对信息安全风险评估准确度不高的问题,提出了多因素分层模糊综合评估模型,该算法采用了层次分析法和模糊数学理论。某单位的电子档案信息系统的实际应用结果表明,该方法能直观、有效地评估系统,评估结果与实际吻合程度较高,为信息安全风险决策提供可靠的依据。     

油田产能建设项目后评价辅助系统设计与实现

以油田企业产能建设项目的决策、管理水平和投资效益为目标,在详细分析油田产能建设项目后评价工作内容、工作程序的基础上,提出建立以计算机技术支持的油田产能建设项目后评价系统。阐述了系统的结构设计及实现方法,包括数据库设计、软件模型建立和图形统计报表输出等。研究和开发了以满足项目管理及工程技术人员决策需求的智能系统。此系统的运用使油田企业更为客观地对产能建设项目进行排队和分类,使产能建设项目投资决策更加科学化。     

基于自适应专家权重的信息系统风险评估模型

针对风险评估过程中存在专家权重难以合理设置,评估结果受专家主观性影响大等问题,提出一种基于自适应专家权重的信息系统风险评估模型SAEW-ISRA,给出一种细粒度专家权重自适应调整方法。首先,在评估过程中引入三角模糊数对风险指标属性评分;其次,根据专家评分模糊度描述专家知识量,结合与专家群体评分的距离构建后验权重,可使专家权重自适应调整,同时使用模糊层次分析法构建风险指标权重;然后,提出信息系统风险指标危险度量化方法,可计算风险值;最后,通过某信息系统的风险评估实例验证所提方法能达到更高的评估准确性,同时在一定程度上解决了评估过程中权重不合理问题。     

Ergonomics and occupational safety and health: An ILO perspective

The ILO has a mandate to protect workers against sickness, diseases and injuries due to workplace hazards and risks including ergonomic and work organization risk factors. One of the main functions for the ILO is to develop international standards related to labour and work. ILO standards have exerted considerable influence on the laws and regulations of member States. The ILO standards take the form of international Conventions and Recommendations. ILO Conventions and Recommendations relevant to protection of workers against ergonomic risk factors at the workplace include Convention No. 127 and Recommendation No.128 which specify the international requirements concerning the manual transport of a load. To help member States in applying the ILO standards, the ILO produces practical guides and training manuals on ergonomics at work and collects and analyses national practices and laws on ergonomics at the workplace. The ILO also conducts technical cooperation activities in many countries on ergonomics to support and strengthen the capacities of its tripartite constituents in dealing with workplace ergonomic and work organization risks. The ILO’s technical cooperation activities give priorities on the promotion of voluntary, participatory and action-oriented actions to improve working conditions and work organizations of the small and medium sized enterprises. This paper reviews ILO’s policies and activities on ergonomics in relation to occupational safety and health and prescribes ILO’s considerations for its future work on ergonomics.     

Development of a software package for ergonomic assessment of manufacturing industry

A computer software package has been developed to be used as a self-assessment tool to evaluate ergonomic improvement potential of production systems by engineers, managers and safety professionals. Production managers of manufacturing industries with no prior knowledge of ergonomics were able to identify ergonomic deficiencies successfully (81%) in the shop floors as a result of the application of the ergonomic assessment tool. This enabled them to formulate intervention strategies to improve ergonomic conditions in their industries. The software package is user friendly, self-explanatory and provides relevant information, data and guidelines. It is unique, as the users will have access to necessary ergonomics information, which is often lacking in the manufacturing industries, especially in developing countries.