Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Ergonomic hazard
Summary
Ergonomic hazards are physical conditions that may pose a risk of injury to the musculoskeletal system due to poor ergonomics. These hazards include awkward or static postures, high forces, repetitive motion, or short intervals between activities. The risk of injury is often magnified when multiple factors are present.
Environmental, operational, or design factors can all negatively impact a worker or user; examples include whole-body or hand/arm vibration, poor lighting, or poorly designed tools, equipment, or workstations. Some of the common body regions where injuries may occur include:
Muscles or ligaments of the lower back
Muscles or ligaments of the neck
Muscles, tendons, or nerves of the hands/wrists
Bones and muscles surrounding the knees and legs
Injuries in these and other parts of the body could result in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which may be called cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) or repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), and are estimated to account for about a third of all non-fatal injuries and illnesses and their associated costs. Ergonomic hazards occur in both occupational and non-occupational settings such as workshops, building sites, offices, homes, schools, or public spaces and facilities. Finding ways to eliminate or reduce ergonomic hazards in any setting will ultimately reduce the risk of injury.
Awkward posture is when the body deviates significantly from a natural position during work-related activities. Awkward posture reduces work efficiency due to unnecessary overexertion. When awkward posture is sustained for a long period of time, muscles and nerves may become pinched. Examples include twisting, reaching, pulling, lifting, bending, or any other posture that can cause pain when sustained for a prolonged period.
Static posture, or static loading, is when a person holds a consistent posture during the entirety of the time it takes to perform a task, which does not allow the body to relax. It is a problem because it can lead to muscle pain, fatigue, and joint issues, and increases the risk for musculoskeletal injuries.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.