Ergonomics

Excerpt

Ergonomics is the study of aligning the needs of a job with the ability of the worker and work environment to provide the most efficient workspace possible while simultaneously reducing the risk of injury. Historically the primary goal of ergonomics has been reducing the rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), but it also includes the efficiency, quality, quantity, and comfort of the labor being produced with aims for maximizing these components while minimizing worker injury, turnover, and fatigue/overexertion.

Previously, the focus within the field only addressed the physical components that often place a person at increased risk of developing WMSDs, but more recent studies have demonstrated the interrelationship that psychosocial factors have on ergonomics as well.