Ergonomics in construction

This article was written by Ryan Meeks, a Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist based in Bristol.

Ergonomics is a branch of science related to the design of workplaces, products and systems to best fit those who use them. The term is derived from two Greek words, ‘ergon’ meaning work, and ‘nomos’ meaning laws.

It can be used interchangeably with ‘human factors’, although ergonomics has more relevance to the environment’s physical aspects, such as workstations and control panels, whereas human factors has relevance to wider socio-technical systems in which people work and the cognitive aspects concerned with human performance.

The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) is the UK body representing ergonomics.

The aim of effective ergonomics is to apply learning about human abilities and limitations to improve interaction with environments and products, and prevent or limit the risk of illness or injury.

Ergonomists work across and use data and techniques from several different disciplines, such as:

• Anthropometry: Body sizes, shapes, variations.
• Biomechanics: Muscles, levers, forces, strength.
• Environmental physics: Light, heat, noise, radiation, cold, vision, and so on.
• Applied psychology: Learning, errors, differences.
• Social psychology: Group behaviour, communication.

Ergonomics can help address the physical and environmental stresses that might be associated with an activity:

• Physical stresses might include repetitive motions, vibration, or working in awkward positions, and so on.
• Environmental stresses might include indoor air quality, excessive noise or improper lighting, which may induce conditions such as ‘sick building syndrome’.
• Cognitive stresses might include situational awareness, high cognitive workload, complex decision-making processes, attention and communication, and so on.

Ergonomics is particularly relevant in the workplace, where activities may be repeated frequently, of positions maintained for a long period of time. Studies have shown that poor ergonomics is likely to result in a loss of worker productivity, higher rates of lost work days through illness, a lack of staff morale and motivation, and increase employee turnover.

A great deal of research attention is given to the layout of workstations and the design of, and relationship between, chairs, desks, screens and keyboards, and so on. This is because of the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as carpal tunnel syndrome which affect nerves, tendons and muscles, predominantly in the arms, hands and wrists, as a result of repetitive motion and strain.

As construction is a physically demanding work environment, site workers are often at risk of long-term injury. Back sprains and strains are the most common disabling injuries, often due to overexertion and bodily motion.

The table lists some of the most common risks facing construction workers and the ergonomic solutions.

More detailed information is available in NIOSH’s guidelines ‘Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for construction workers’.

--Ryan Meeks

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Aesthetics and architecture.
• Anthropometrics in architectural design.
• Building pathology.
• Building related illness.
• Construction dust.
• Environmental health.
• Headroom.
• Health and safety.
• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Health and safety consultant.
• Health and Safety Executive.
• Heat stress.
• Human centric.
• Human comfort in buildings.
• Lighting of construction sites.
• Manual handling.
• Personal protective equipment.
• Scale.
• Sick building syndrome.
• Wellbeing.
• Work at height regulations.

[edit] External references

• Ergonomics.org - What is ergonomics?
• Ergo-plus - Workplace ergonomics

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