Ergonomics looks at the kind of work you do, the tools you use and your whole work environment, to find the best fit between you and the conditions of your job.
Examples of ergonomic changes
- Keyboard: adjusting where your computer keyboard sits, to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Chair: setting your desk chair at a height that lets your feet rest flat on the floor.
- Lifting: learning to lift heavy objects the right way, to prevent back injuries.
- Power tools: using handle coatings or special gloves to damp their vibration.
- Posture: keeping good posture whatever you are doing — sitting at a computer, standing at a checkout, or walking around a warehouse.
The goal
Whatever the job, the aim is the same: to keep you safe and comfortable, and less likely to be hurt at work.
Sources
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Ergonomics." https://medlineplus.gov/ergonomics.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
1
0
0
0
Comments
Read next
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Most E. coli bacteria are harmless, but some types cause diarrhea — and the worst can lead to kidney failure. How people catch it, the symptoms, who is most at risk, and how to avoid it.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Hemorrhoids are swollen, inflamed veins around the anus or lower rectum, caused by too much pressure on those veins. The two types, their symptoms, home treatment, and when to see a provider.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Aspergillosis is caused by Aspergillus, a mould people breathe in every day. Who gets sick, the allergic and invasive forms of the disease, and how it is diagnosed and treated.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Rheumatic fever follows untreated strep throat, and the harm it does to the heart valves may not show up for years. Antibiotics for strep throat are why most people today never face that — which makes this one of medicine's quieter successes.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Most congenital heart defects have no known cause. But three do have one — diabetes in the first three months of pregnancy, untreated PKU, and rubella — and the first two can be managed before conception, which is when it has to happen.
Version: 2CC0 1.0 — public domain
Kidney cancer forms in the lining of the kidneys' tiny tubes and grows more likely with age. Smoking, some genetic conditions and long misuse of pain medicines raise the risk; blood in the urine is a key sign.