Ergonomics Research - Office Ergonomics Research Committee

Ergonomics can be defined as the science of being able to adapt to the work processes and also the circumstances in order to fit the physical capabilities of workers. The only aim is to reduce the possibilities of musculoskeletal injuries by eliminating or even minimizing the risk factors for having musculoskeletal injuries (MSI). The Office Ergonomics Research Committee (OERC) was formed in 1991 by a group of US companies concerned by reports of an increasing number of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among office workers. It was formed in order to provide health security to the workers in most companies. The committee would take care of their employees in many ways.

The target of the OERC is to better understand the human and machine system that is comprised of the people who use office, information and communication technologies in a broad variety of settings. A fuller understanding of this interaction facilitates better product designs and more comfortable and productive human users. The office environment, the office equipments all should be user friendly so that the workers do not find any dilemma what so ever in their workplace.

These committees have helped many individuals recover from their injuries and return to work, we have not as a profession taken a very active role in reducing the exposure of workers to stressful situations. One of the primary methods employed to reduce exposure to a dangerous work environment involves improving the workplace. The discipline of matching workers with their work environment is known as ergonomics. Properly defined, ergonomics is the scientific study of human work. A more practical definition states that ergonomics is the science of corresponding the job to the worker and the product to the user.

The objective of Office Ergonomics Research Committee is to understand the association between office work and discomfort, fatigue and MSD's, and to communicate its findings on their possible causes, methods of intervention and management by providing access to information for members, employers, manufacturers, workers and other interested parties on the association between office work and musculoskeletal disorders.

With increasing incidence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among office workers, one preventive strategy is to provide a well-designed office ergonomics training program. This article focuses on how to optimally design and implement an office ergonomics training program. An instructional systems model is used to describe the key elements of such a program.

Ergonomic hazards would be included in workplace hazard issues as well as injury prevention information on a wide range of topics. Information on material handling and back injuries are available on back belts, lifting, pushing and pulling and also material handling aids. In the case of office ergonomics it gives out information of ergonomic furniture as office layout and design as well as computer work. As for MSIs, risk factors, design hazards, wrist splints and ergonomic hand tools information is provided by the repetitive motion injuries. The committee basically looks after the needs of the companies' human resource and helps them solve their problem and helps them work in a stress free happy environment.

• Matt Thompson
• 10/04/2009, 6:59 AM
• 0 Comments