Ergonomics: what it is and what are its 4 types and functions

March 26, 2024

Imagine that we worked in an office eight hours a day in front of a computer, but that the company had the computer screens at the same height as our legs.

Obviously it would be an uncomfortable situation, and that could even cause back and / or visual problems. Think now about jobs that require concentration, such as the surgeon. Not having the right light could have catastrophic consequences. Finally, imagine that we have a physical disability and that we are provided with a chair that is smaller than our own, or that we are exaggeratedly inclined.

In all cases, we are seeing how the existence or absence of certain elements can modulate the efficiency and degree of difficulty of carrying out a task or using a service. It is to prevent and solve these types of situations what makes ergonomics necessary .

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What is ergonomics?

As indicated by the Spanish Association of Ergonomics, the name of ergonomics is the set of knowledge from different scientific disciplines which are applied in face of adapt products, systems or environments to the needs and characteristics of the people who use them .

It is a scientific discipline of great importance when it comes to ensuring the safety and adequacy of goods, services and environments to the needs of the people who use them, taking charge of assessing the characteristics of users or workers and products or environments in question in order to establish the necessary changes to optimize this relationship as much as possible.

Ergonomics aims to improve the level of safety, well-being and efficiency of workers or clients, increasing the quality of life while improving productivity . Likewise, they also aim to control the environment, to optimize the adjustment of the characteristics of the job or product to the needs of the person and to detect and solve threats to their well-being.

The type of knowledge taken into account to achieve these objectives are multiple: medicine, anatomy, psychology, engineering or design are some of the disciplines of which ergonomics takes concepts and knowledge in order to perform its function.

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Its application at work

As we have indicated previously, one of the main areas of application of ergonomics is the work environment.

In this sense, it is intended to make the materials, instruments, clothing or even work environments as safe as possible, as well as allowing to enhance the capabilities and productivity of employees. You try too produce a healthy and motivating work environment , that favors the satisfaction of the employee and that allows the correct performance of his functions.

Aspects such as luminosity, exposure to noise, size of spaces, temperature, use of appropriate clothing and that allow the protection of the employee in case their work involves some danger, separation of light sources, position of materials and instruments are valued (for example chair-table separation or tilting of the back of the chair).

And not only with respect to what is present: The possible impact and adequacy of the introduction of new methodologies and instruments has also been assessed on the part of the employees. The posture of the body, the schedules and breaks and the instrumental itself are other important aspects.

In the case of more specific needs, such as in the case of disability or functional diversity, the aim is to generate adaptations that allow no impact that prevents the normal performance of their functions without difficulties.

Taking into account the ergonomic design of the workplace and the materials has great advantages, given that it allows reduce the possibility of suffering occupational diseases and injuries and accidents . It also reduces absenteeism and increases production, welfare, commitment and work environment.

In other contexts

It is usually associated with the workplace, which is where this emphasis is most often emphasized due to the existing responsibility for the safety and welfare of employees, although it is also applied in the design and elaboration of products and consumer goods .

In addition, the knowledge of this discipline is also used for the adaptation of materials and work environments or evaluation and prevention of problems (for example, health problems) in these and other contexts.

Types of ergonomics

Ergonomics is a diverse discipline that deals with different aspects of reality and the relationship between the person-product-environment. This wide diversity means that we can assess the existence of different types of ergonomics . While there are many more, the four best known are the following.

1. Physical ergonomics

When we talk about ergonomics most people imagine the physical adaptation of the environment or products. It is the one that is responsible for assessing work material, body posture during working hours or spaces to avoid the appearance of physical problems or facilitate work performance, taking into account especially the physiological / mechanical factor.

2. Cognitive ergonomics

This type of ergonomics is very different from the previous one, being focused on the implications and adequacy of the position or product to the capabilities and psychological needs of the subject.

We are talking about aspects such as stress management and the presence of devices or services to reduce it, the workload , the treatment of the emotional impact of some positions (for example, the surgeon of the initial example) or the interaction between the materials and the cognitive abilities of the subject.

3. Organizational ergonomics

In this case, we are dealing with a type of ergonomics that is centered not on the relationship between subject-work but on the subject-institution relationship. In this sense, we analyze the activities carried out by each one, the management of human resources or the internal communication of the company.

4. Environmental ergonomics

Dedicated to the evaluation and allocation of spaces, it assesses elements such as noise or the level of luminosity or temperature that can affect the subject.