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History of Ergonomics |
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Repetitive Motion Injuries
How You Can Help Prevent Injury to Yourself |
The importance of a "good fit" between humans and tools or work was
probably realized early World War II prompted greater interest in human-work interaction. Scientists
and engineers began to consciously study human capabilities and limitations with
the goal of improving the design The term "ergonomics" was coined in Britain. In the U.S., the term "human factors" was used. Eventually, the term "ergonomics" was adopted throughout Europe and recently has become much more widely used in the U.S. The advent of personal computers has made "ergonomics" a household word. We are the first generation of human beings to spend so many hours sitting in limited postures doing small movements under stress as part of our daily work routine on such a large scale. Already, estimates are that nearly 50 million people have computers on their desks at work. Locally, legal stirrings regarding ergonomics and repetitive motion injuries (RMI) began in 1993. An assembly bill added a new section to the Labor Code. After several public hearings and the submission of over 6,500 written documents, the bill was for the proposed section was voted down. In 1995, the Standards Board was sued by the California Labor Federation and three injured workers for its failure to adopt a standard to minimize instances of injury from repetitive motion. They were ordered to adopt a standard by 12/1/96. More public hearings took place, and on 11/14/96, the Standards Board adopted a new section entitled "Repetitive Motion Injuries." One of the missions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to prevent injuries of America's workers. To accomplish this, federal and state governments must work in partnership with the more than 100 million working men and women and their 6.5 million employers who are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act. For history in the making, check out the latest ergonomic information from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. |
in the development of the species. Over centuries, the
effectiveness of hammers, axes and plows improved as people tried to devise
easier ways to get the work done. This is the same motivation behind much of
ergonomics today.
of military equipment.