WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?
Ergonomic is the science of designing work environments and processes for the people who use them. How we organize our work space, sit, move, and perform tasks can affect how comfortable we are doing our jobs and can reduce the risk of injury. Through ergonomics, we can help ourselves to work safely and in comfort at all ages and in many different work environments.
WHAT RISK FACTORS CAN BE REDUCED BY ERGONOMIC AWARENESS
Ergonomic focuses on identifying and reducing six important risk factors:
- Awkward postures
- Repetitive motion or sustained postures
- Excessive force
- Contact stress
- Vibration
- Temperature extremes
WHAT DOES THE ENHANCED ERGONOMICS PROGRAM DO?
The program helps increase faculty and staff awareness of, access to, and the effectiveness of ergonomic resources within the work community. The program will build upon the organizational commitment to continual improvement in workplace safety and health by focusing on the application of ergonomic principles to everyday work practices.
Ergonomic principles focus on three strategies:
- Education/training
- Design of the work environment
- Design of work processes
The Enhanced Ergonomic Awareness Program builds on current ergonomic resources and includes all three strategies to maximize the health of our workforce, decrease rates of injury, minimize workplace discomfort, and maximize the health and productivity of our workforce.
This combination of preventive education and ergonomic consultations is intended to minimize the effects of ergonomic risk factors on our health and productivity and help us emphasize personal responsibility for safe behavior and environmental factors within our control
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