Ergonomics & Workplace Design

Introduction to Ergonomics / Human Factors - overview and background; Design communication and ergonomics; Human-Machine system: Standard format for describing human-machine system, User friendly man machine environment system; Inter disciplinary nature of ergonomics; Modern ergonomics human performance – information processing – factors affecting human performance – physical workload and energy expenditure.

Physiological Principles: Sources of Energy, Nervous control of movements, structure of nervous system, Types of nervous system, Neurons, Action potential; Sodium potassium pump, innervations of muscles, Reflex-arc; Dynamics and static muscular work; Physiological (allowable limits and safety factors) and psycho sociological (behavior, cognitive issues, information processing and perception); Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorder, definition and Types of WMSDs, Factors affecting WMSDs; Cognitive processing such as perception, attention, learning, memory, and decision-making, information processing mental workload

Introduction to Anthropometry and its application in design of system; Capabilities and limitations of people - physical (body structure, growth, anthropometry, biomechanics, and movement); Occupational hazards and safety, and environment factors affecting performance. Evaluation of facilities, environment, jobs and tasks, training methods and equipment, and user capabilities; Potential reduction of fatigue, errors, discomforts and unsafe acts; Ergonomics design principles and criteria, and checklist for ease and efficiency including Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI).

Manufacturing work-station design; determining work-station design parameters, Systematic approach for determining work-station design, determining work-station dimension. Tool evaluation and design: Principles of tool design (General principles, Anatomical concern, and Single handle); Attributes of common industrial hand tools, Attributes of common industrial power tools, Tool evaluation check list. Displays and controls, Ergonomic considerations in Visual Display Terminal (VDT) work station design and Office Design.

Sound and related studies: Definition, evaluation of noise, combining decibels. Levels and Spectra: Sound power level, sound intensity level, numerical problems on sound its measurement, Illumination and its measurement. Occupational Human Vibration: Characteristics of vibration, wholebody and hand-arm vibration, Effect of vibration on comfort, health and performance. Studies related to the effect of Illumination, Heat and Indoor Air Quality on human performance of different types of tasks.