Applying ergonomics

Here we explain some of the applications of ergonomics to the subject of the images we’ve used on the careers pages.

This illustrates sports ergonomics which includes:

understanding the physiological effects of activity (raised heart rate, breathing, use of oxygen, etc) and long term effects of activity, as well as nutrition, psychological demands, etc.
identifying the effects of clothing (including footwear, gloves, headwear, etc) on the body’s ability to cope with physiological demands (e.g material characteristics of weight, friction, weather resistance, safety, etc).
designing equipment such as carabiners, rucksacks, belts in the case of climbing (bicycles, kayaks, skis, for example, in the case of other sports) for function, safety, weight-bearing capacity, usability under all conditions, etc.

This illustrates ergonomics in the process industries which includes:

investigating safety procedures and training.
designing equipment and tooling fit for the job and for the environments that they will be used in.
assessing personal protective equipment (such as helmets, gloves, facemasks, etc) to ensure their effectiveness in all conditions.

This illustrates transport ergonomics which includes:

assessing communication and control methods to ensure maximum effectiveness and awareness between operators.
designing human computer interfaces (e.g. air traffic control screens, pilot navigation devices, driver displays and controls, etc). li>designing passenger compartments to ensure maximum comfort and safety when travelling.
assessing emergency evacuation procedures and rescue operations.

This illustrates systems ergonomics which can apply to many industry sectors and includes:

identifying and analysing individual tasks to see how they fit together to achieve a single goal.
identifying the number of people needed to perform those tasks and what skills are needed.
carrying out training needs analysis to find gaps in skills and learning, and then designing training to fill those gaps.
using appropriate communication systems suitable for the environment in which people will be working.

This illustrates healthcare ergonomics which includes:

identifying the safest way to move and handle patients (safe for both patient and worker) and designing equipment for the job if none exists.
investigating packaging and instructions for medication to reduce errors.
analysing design and use of surgical equipment to ensure that it’s fit for purpose.