| It is commonly thought that ergonomics is a new | | | | to get the greatest output in the least amount of |
| concept. If the truth be known, however, | | | | time. |
| ergonomics has been around for a very long time. | | | | Frank and Lillian Gilbreth were interested in |
| The word "ergonomics" may be fairly new, but | | | | Taylor's theory, but had a different approach. |
| the basic idea of ergonomics and the concepts | | | | Instead, they wanted to reduce the movements |
| that surround it are far from new. | | | | required to get a job finished. This concept truly |
| Since the beginning of time, man has searched for | | | | takes us to the heart of ergonomics, which |
| ways to do things differently - methods to do | | | | embraces the concept of maintaining a healthy |
| things quicker, more efficiently and at the same | | | | body while performing necessary jobs. Mr. and |
| time, reduce as much physical and emotional | | | | Mrs. Gilbreth practiced time motion analysis while |
| stress as possible. It is a fact that man has | | | | also creating tool and material standards. Gilbreth |
| become more knowledgeable through the | | | | completely changed the way bricklayers work, |
| centuries and he has been able to use this to help | | | | increasing their number of laid bricks from 120 to |
| make life easier and less stressful, while | | | | 350 bricks per hour. This, of course, included an |
| accomplishing more than ever. | | | | increase in production and also a decrease in strain |
| Based on findings, scientists believe that early | | | | on the worker's backs, legs and arms. Lillian |
| man made tools from pebbles and scoops from | | | | Gilbreth was an industrial engineer for General |
| antelope bones in an attempt to accomplish their | | | | Electric and she interviewed over 4,000 women |
| tasks quicker and more efficiently. Tools, | | | | to learn the design that women preferred while |
| machines, and various work processes were | | | | working at their stoves, sinks and other appliances |
| created and fine-tuned through the centuries, | | | | in their homes. |
| improving the effectiveness of their tasks. The | | | | The ideas of ergonomics continued to develop. |
| Industrial Revolution brought even more creative | | | | During World War II in 1943, an Army officer, |
| ways of doing things with the invention of the | | | | Alphonse Chapanis, learned that if the control |
| spinning jenny and rolling mills. The concepts behind | | | | layouts in the cockpits of planes were simplified, |
| developing these products are the same ideas | | | | the pilots made fewer errors. In other words, |
| behind much of ergonomics today. | | | | these pioneers of ergonomics learned that if we |
| Work-related injuries are documented back into | | | | do things in a different way, we can often be |
| the sixteenth century, as Bernardino Ramazinni | | | | more productive and safer. |
| wrote in his medical journal about complaints from | | | | It was after World War II that ergonomics began |
| his patients. In his publication "De Morbis Artificum | | | | to include not only productivity, but also the |
| (Diseases of Workers)", he wrote an entire | | | | safety of the workers. Research began to take |
| section about the relationship between various | | | | place in various areas including: the affect of |
| injuries and occupations. In 1857, Wojciech | | | | heavy labor on the heart; the maximum loads |
| Jastrzebowski created the word "ergonomics" in a | | | | that should be pulled, pushed or carried; the |
| narrative he wrote about the science of nature. | | | | amount of muscle force that should be required |
| "Ergon" means work and "nomos" means natural | | | | to perform manual tasks; and the force on the |
| law. In other words, it literally means "how to | | | | back when lifting heavy objects. Because of the |
| work according to nature" - as opposed to | | | | bend towards health related issues in ergonomics, |
| fighting against what is naturally best for us. | | | | psychologists, physicians, and engineers began to |
| In the early 1900's, Scientific Management | | | | work together to create various ideas of how |
| became popular. This was a method whereby a | | | | people can work more efficiently and avoid |
| worker could have greater efficiency by | | | | injuring their bodies. |
| improving the process of the task. At this time, | | | | Ergonomics is a concept that has been with us |
| industry production was still mostly man power | | | | for many centuries. People have been |
| and motion. Basic ergonomic concepts were used, | | | | experimenting with ergonomic concepts for |
| but not completely understood or taken to their | | | | centuries, but the science has become more |
| full potential. | | | | precise today. The less strain we feel on our |
| Frederick W. Taylor was most interested in | | | | bodies, the easier it will be for us to do the tasks |
| ergonomics and enjoyed evaluating various tasks | | | | at hand and also do a better job. Ergonomic |
| to find the "one best way" to perform them. He | | | | products are becoming more popular, as people |
| developed tools in factories that would make the | | | | everywhere are beginning to realize that with |
| work less repetitive and stressful for the | | | | these devices and designs, they feel better and |
| workers. Of course, along with this idea, the | | | | are able to get as much work, or even more |
| number of work injuries decreased while | | | | work, accomplished in the same amount of time. |
| production levels increased. Taylor wanted to try | | | | |