Ergonomics: Mass Production, Efficiency and Safety - Coursework Example

Production Name Institution Introduction Ergonomics is the practice of designing processes, systems or products with the intention of attaining full interaction between the products and the target users (Dorf, 1999). Ergonomics is the understanding of the relation and interaction among people and factors comprising a certain system. It explains the compatibility of a user of equipment and the equipment in a way that brings their full productivity. Ergonomics comprises of three main fields namely physical, organizational and cognitive ergonomics. The goal of Ergonomics is to provide maximum productivity at the minimum possible cost which is done by modifying the work station to fit the workers’ requirements. This paper explains ergonomics in relation to various factors influencing production in an organization. Mass Production With the increase of population and increase in demand for goods, new methods of production and systems of work organization have been introduced by production industries to boost the quantity of production, at the same time, maintaining the quality. The new systems have brought with them profound changes in the ways work is done and some of them have adverse effects on the workers, which include musculoskeletal disorders linked to the work they undertake (Dorf, 1999). This owes to the tight work schedule and huge work load which is imposed on the workers. According to Dorf (1999), mass production refers to the method of producing goods in relatively large qualities to cut down the production costs due to economies of scale. It involves production of goods of standard quality in large quantities by applying precision manufacturing and standardization of production processes. It is a production method which is applied where the demand of a certain product is high and the consumption rate needs a mass supply for the demands to be met. Many changes are usually made in the production process in a bid to accommodate mass production. This includes increase in number of workers, application of new production methods involving new machinery and production equipments, increase in working hours, monotonous tasks and increase in the work load and expected output in workers. Worker increase includes hiring of more workers in the production chain to aid in production increase towards the targeted quantity. There is a variety of jobs that will involve a specific task that requires prolonged overhead work process that cannot be withstood for long periods by applying principles of Ergonomic to design these tasks. Many of the workers in the task force should be able to carry out the task without risk of injury. Ergonomics has in many times been defined and its function primarily focuses on the design of work process that suits the person meant to undertake it, in that it puts into consideration their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the production process. Matching of the work process requirements with the strengths and capabilities of the worker is an approach which if adopted leads to reduced risks of musculoskeletal injuries which may result from handling of machinery and material manually, and increases productivity (Bridger, 2003). In most cases, newly hired workers find themselves working with machinery and are not used to fields they are not well suited. This leads to the workers straining to put up with the expected output which may sometimes be tedious and may psychologically affect the worker. The psychological stress can be brought by the fatigue they get from the working process and frustration brought by them not being able to easily undertake the assigned task and meeting the expected output. Introduction of new machinery in the chain of mass production is always a major step towards achieving the target quantities of production.However, this new machinery operation can have numerous effects on the workers to the strenuous processes involved in operating them. Since the workers are not used to operating them, muscle strain and even spinal strain may lead to health problems. It is recommended that manufacturing companies have prior training for their workers on machinery use, before the actual introduction of the machinery. Machinery introduction into the production chain should also be done gradually in phases. This will enable workers to adapt on use of certain machinery and be able to give full productivity when the machinery system is fully implemented (Hancock, 1999). Increase in working hours requires the workers to work for more hours than it initially was. This leaves little time spent on rest, sleep, and recreational activities. Pushing a workers’ productivity to extreme limits may have health implications related to the long working hours and lack of rest. In some cases workers work in the same workstation for long hours which leads to monotonous in work and boredom .the general worker motivation is killed by lack of shifting of employees within the production chain. Increase in employees workload means an increased output is expected from that worker in a days’ work (Ergonomics Society & Ergonomics Research Society, 1969). Straining a worker to meet some set level of productivity may be good for the progress of the company but to the worker, a lot of health problems may result due to overworking themselves. Considering the technological advances taking place, many activities currently taken by human being are being automated and fully performed by machines. The functions which are left un-automated are those requiring decision making and functions for monitoring the machines. It is, therefore, evident that machines use will never completely rule out human in manufacturing because even the most automated machines needs monitoring by humans. This calls for effective ways to enable compatibility between the devices and the human controlling them. In cases where both the human and automated machines are to undertake a certain task, safety of the human should be given a first priority. A full detail safety measure analysis should be carried out to find out the severity and probability of potential injury to humans when in the line of processing or controlling machinery. If it is noted that performance of a certain task poses great health risk to human, it is advisable to assign a machinery to undertake the task or otherwise the job will not be performed as required. In such cases, the functions to be performed should be re-analyzed and re-specified (North Carolina Ergonomics ResourceCenter,1997). The product design and the product design process do not consider human involvement in their processing or manufacturing. The main issue with a currently designed procedure is that the designers do not put into consideration the user compatibility with the design. This leads to confusion and frustration of workers, and the products produced become of low quality and substandard as the machines in use are beyond their capabilities to operate and use. Consideration on system usability should always be carried out to ensure whatever technology is introduced in the production line can be handled by the available employees and if not, specialized employees can be hired to take care of that (Bridger, 2003). Machines that are easy to use, however, are popularly adopted into production chains of various companies and tend to have a longer life span. It is important to remember that products are designed to fulfill user needs. In order to accomplish this, user attributes must be matched with the product attributes and the product design process must be redirected towards a consideration of the user by taking into account the opinions and advice of user experts; the users and designers must become partners in the design. Furthermore, user involvement would force an iterative approach to product design. The goal is to design devices that will allow easy use and serve the tasks it is intended for, effectively. It concentrates on user needs analysis and testing. The process starts with collecting as much information as it is available about the field it is to be applied and this will assist in enhancing its compatibility with the intended user. Their needs and preferences will assist with coming up with a design that exactly suite their needs. Proactive Ergonomics concentrates on the prevention of work related musculoskeletal disorders through recognition and reduction of any risk factors which may be present in the planning of new systems to be implemented at workplaces (Bridger, 2003). An appropriate design of operations is that which ensures good selection of devices and tools, proper use of the devices, favorable job methods, proper workstation layouts and use of materials that does not put any stress on the workers. Modern Management Practices Bridger (2003) notes that there has been a big increase in cumulative disorders and other work related health complications due to ergonomics, over the recent past. Cumulative disorder leads to large amounts of money to be used in compensation of workers every year and represents more than half of work related illness reported. Considering the huge losses a company stands to lose in compensation of cases related to ergonomics, it becomes the role of the management to enhance worker safety so as to avoid these disorders. An effective management should ensure worker safety and protection from all health hazards, whether they are stated under regulations governing work practices or not. It is, therefore, the employer’s duty to ensure the workers work in an environment with no form of serious hazards. There are four elements of ergonomics which the management of a company should consider to ensure high health standards and worker safety. This includes Analyzing of the working site Prevention and control of hazards Medical scheme management Worker training on ergonomics Management should take its time to carefully analyze the working area of their workers and establish any health hazards which can affect the workers when undertaking their daily activities. This involves checking the machines the use and pinpointing the dangers the workers can be subjected to by using those machines. The analysis should give the management an overview of all the health hazards and dangers their workers are faced with in their line of duty. After identification and analysis of the hazards, the management is expected to take action and improvise ways of protecting their workers from the dangers identified (Bridger, 2003). This may involve restructuring of the work area, acquiring of new machines which are more friendly and non hazardous or training the workers on how to avoid the identified hazards. In some cases the management is forced to do all the above which is highly advised if it’s the only way to do away with the health hazards. Identification of hazards in the working area of workers means that the management should expect a work related health complain from their workers anytime, which calls for a medical plan to be put in place to cater for such cases (Bridger, 2003). The role of providing medical care to workers may not be the responsibility of the management, but on cases of work related medical disorders, the management should take charge. This is because failure to that may lead to court cases where the probability of the company losing the case and a lot of money as well is high. The medical scheme put in place should provide medical cover to workers, but only on work related health complications. Lastly, worker training is important on issues related to egornomics.Some work place hazards cannot be completely done away with, which includes hazards which are faced in an important stage of production which cannot be ruled out. In these cases the management has to train the workers on how to best work in such environment and minimize the probability of the health hazard affecting them. Management involvement and commitment is compulsory and essential in providing of a good safety health program as it provides the financial resources for the program and motivation which is necessary in dealing with ergonomic hazards (Bridger, 2003). Implementation of an ergonomics program should include the employer providing visible involvement of the highest management to give an impression of its commitment to the employees. The top management should be the team leaders where they are expected to; Give elimination of ergonomic hazards the first priority and have personal concern on the workers safety. Assign managers and supervisors to specifically take responsibility of the ergonomics program. Provide required funds and authority to the people taking responsibility of the ergonomics program. For effective implementation of an ergonomics program, the management needs to come up with written rules and guidelines which will be governing the operation of the program. This should be reached as an agreement between the management and the workers on the probable measures which should be put in place to counter the ergonomic hazards. Once the measures are formulated they should be put into writing as regulations on ergonomic hazards which should be communicated to the workers to create awareness (Bridger, 2003). Lastly, the management should come up with a mechanism which should be used to monitor the success evaluate the success of the program. These mechanisms should include surveys which should give the management a feedback from the employees and a general report on the employees’ opinions on the implementation of the program. Any sections which suggest dissatisfaction on the employee’s side should be revisited, and new measures put in place. Efficiency and Safety in the Workplace When it comes to issues of safety at workplace, most organizations want to raise the standards of their production and enhance their efficiency at the same time maintaining high safety standards. Apart from the safety standards set by health and safety board many companies have their specified safety systems put in place to enhance smooth operation of the machinery and systems involved (Bridger, 2003). The aim for adoption of some designs of workplaces layout is to enable as many people as possible to be accommodated and to have a good understanding of principles of ergonomic related with posture and movement which takes a major role in providing a safe, health risk free and comfortable work environment. Movements and postures involved at work are dictated by the certain tasks undertaken and the general workplace layout. Body organs including joints, muscles and ligaments involved in carrying out tasks at work place play a major role in adapting to a certain posture. Improper work place plan brings about poor operation posture and movement can lead to cases of stress on the joints, ligaments and muscle’s, resulting in neck pain complains, back aches and problems in other body parts like wrist and shoulders (Dorf, 1999). Companies have employed many technological systems to enhance safety in production which include robots, expert systems and conveyor belts which are mainly for handling heavy material. For example, in Bulk material handling where movement of large materials is involved (Dorf, 1999).When it comes to this there are conveyor systems that are put in use to relieve human workers the strenuous duty. Systematic reduction of risks involved in the production procedure prevents extra costs which may be incurred in payments of claims from affected. Recommendations Ergonomics is a vital factor in all fields of manufacturing process .it represents health practices which may not be listed in the laws governing operations of companies but it plays a major role in protecting the health of the employees. In recommendation all employers in manufacturing firms should ensure that their employees work in the best conditions possible with regards to postures and work practices. This will give full productivity of the workers as this can only be realized if they are comfortable with their work place conditions. The management should take full responsibility of implementing an ergonomic program which should be taken as seriously as all other programs handled by the management. Human and financial support should be set aside to cater for the requirements of the program, this means setting a manager to specifically run the program and ensure its success. Challenges and Lessons Learnt Challenges Ergonomics program adoption proves to be a hard task to the company due to the extra cost which is incurred in procuring of suitable design of machinery and furniture to enhance it. This proves to be quite a challenge as it is not a direct input into the production chain which can reflect in the output. There is also the issue of poor employer employee relationship, whereby employees are in constant fear of the management. This makes them not to report any case of an ergonomic hazard which could be easily resolved if reported. They also fail to report to the management of disorders and health complications which are work related, which leaves the management unaware of any ergonomic hazard in existence on their premises or in their line of production. Lessons learnt Ergonomics, when properly applied in companies, reduces operation costs. This is done by ensuring healthy working conditions, whereby no worker will sustain any injury or work related complications. This saves the company money which could have been used in lawsuits and settling of claims from aggrieved workers. It also improves productivity in that everyone works in the field he/she is best suited, the work conditions also give the workers motivation this leads to their full productivity which is an advantage to the company. Ergonomics can also aid in production of quality good and services. This is possible by placing workers in the fields they are best suited and enhancing their comfort ability by for example if it is an office layout, providing them with good chairs to enhance a good posture while working. Ergonomics improves employee engagement. This makes them to put their best effort towards achieving their set targets in terms of productivity. Finally, it shows the company’s commitment towards safeguarding the safety and health of the workers. This is evident from the effort the company puts towards providing the best equipment to enhance good working conditions for the workers. Conclusion As discussed above, mass production is one of the factors of production which bring about most of ergonomic hazards to the workers. This is brought about by the policies applied by the management in a bid to meet the high quantities of production expected from the companies. Ergonomic health hazards in mass production are brought by long working hours and increased output expected from workers. It is also evident from the report that management of a company should be at the frontline in coming up with a scheme to counter ergonomic health hazards. The scheme put in place should involve a medical program, worker training on ergonomics and a means of evaluating the success of the scheme. References Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bridger, R. S. (2003). Introduction to ergonomics. London: Taylor & Francis. Dorf, R. C. (1999). The technology management handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Ergonomics Society (Great Britain), & Ergonomics Research Society. (1969). Applied ergonomics. Guildford, Eng.: IPC Science and Technology Press [etc.. Hancock, P. A. (1999). Human performance and ergonomics. San Diego, Calif: Academic Press. North Carolina Ergonomics Resource Center. (1997). Ergonomics. Raleigh, NC: The Center. Bottom of Form Read More