Current and Future Areas of Ergonomics Research at NIOSH.

Putz-Anderson-V; Jensen-R

NIOSH 1982 Sep:25 pages

00185297

A review of ergonomic research conducted by NIOSH during the 1970s was presented along with a study of the foundations of current research in this area. Also noted was the role of ergonomics as a methodology for the study of the science of work, the role of ergonomics in the prevention and control of chronic trauma disorders, and a survey of ongoing studies and new investigations. Ergonomics was viewed as an applied science concerned with the design of workplaces, tools, and tasks to match the physiological, anatomical, and psychological characteristics of the workers. Studies in the past have been concerned with the assessment of deep body temperatures of workers in hot jobs, whole body vibration effects during heavy equipment operation, relationships between heat stress indices, effects of noise on nonauditory sensory functions and performance, and the occupational noise and hearing loss relationships. Much effort has been given to work related injuries and disorders of the back resulting from ergonomic factors. Studies have investigated lifting problems, repeated or chronic microtrauma of the musculoskeletal system, the concept of cumulative strain, and the redesign of common tools. Recent studies were concerned with video display terminal usage, flexible work schedules, traumatic injury, and posture.

NIOSH-Author; Biomechanics; Back-injuries; Human-factors-engineering; Task-performance; Job-stress; Worker-health; Mental-stress; Hot-environments; Workplace-studies; Industrial-noise; Musculoskeletal-system-disorders; Hand-tools; Safety-engineering;

19820901

1982

PB89-165252

A03

DBBS;

Low Back Disorders; Disease and Injury; Musculoskeletal-system-disorders;

Division of Biomedical and Behavioral Science, NIOSH, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Cincinnati, Ohio, 25 pages, 19 references

OH;