Going holistic.(ergonomics)

THE WORD HOLISTIC, APPROPRIATELY or not, has been used to describe an approach to everything from health food to achieving Nirvana. Holistic is defined as "emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts." In a holistic approach to ergonomics, several components work together to achieve a result that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. It seems to be an odd term to use in association with workers' health and safety, but it's accurate.

In the United States, ergonomics is commonly referred to as human factors or human factors engineering. What ever term you prefer, the objective is to design and analyze the workplace to enhance people's effectiveness and safety.

According to the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics, three components are needed to describe ergonomics: human performance, ergonomic engineering design and systems integration. If one or more of these concepts is missing, the optimum benefits of ergonomics will be compromised. Ergonomics and safety have a lot to do with having the right equipment, using proper methods and instilling the right attitude in employees, both management and non-management. Minimizing ergonomic risk factors requires effective training, safe work methods and physical and cognitive engineering design. Given the synergies of these elements in the enhancement of the workplace, one word comes to mind: holistic.

Training starts the day a new employee walks in the door. Initial and recurring training on proper methods, procedures and basic ergonomics principles are essential to maximizing performance and minimizing exposure to injury. People will modify their behavior when they understand the potential for risk.

Work measurement standards must be based on safe work methods and user-centered engineering design. Can employees be efficient and safe at the same time? Absolutely. Implementing a holistic approach can simultaneously address productivity and safety. In fact, employees who use safe work methods are naturally more productive. Increasing awareness through committees or teams along with constructive feedback from method audits shows employees that you are serious about continually improving safety and productivity.

As ergonomists, we must address the physical and cognitive characteristics, capabilities and limitations of individuals. By using research, anthropometry, biomechanics, physiology, psychology and surveys, we are able to identify opportunities for improvement. Once an opportunity has been identified, then comes the challenge of finding an effective solution.

Incorporating human factors into your office or operations is easy when basic principles are followed, such as bringing the work closer to the person, keeping work in the person's power zone and making the environment and equipment as user-friendly as possible. Whether designing a new workstation or product from scratch or modifying an existing design, the design should accommodate the range of people who will use the product.

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The key to a safe and productive workplace is to incorporate a well-rounded, holistic approach of training, consistent awareness, safe work methods and human factors engineering principles. This approach optimizes worker comfort, safety and efficiency. People work better when the environment, methods and equipment have been designed to accommodate them. Using a holistic approach gives you the best chance of success as you seek to optimize a person's safety and effectiveness.

Marenda Caldwell is an industrial engineering manager for UPS. She has a bachelor's and master's degree in industrial engineering and is a certified professional agononnst with more than 15 years of experience.

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