MODULE 1

WEEK 2-4

Ergonomics and Facilities Planning for the Hospitality Industry

LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO ERGONOMICS

Learning Objectives

At the end of this chapter, the student can:

1. Define what is ergonomics;

2. Describe the different scope of ergonomic;
3. Discuss the different categories of ergonomics;
4. Identify the risk factors;
5. Define terms related to ergonomics

Content

Introduction to Ergonomics

Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with the

understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of
a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and
methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall
system performance." International Ergonomics Association.

Ergonomics is a science-based discipline that incorporates

expertise from other subjects, such and physiology, engineering as
anatomy psychology, and statistics, to ensure that design as match
people's strengths and abilities and minimize the impact of their
shortcomings. Ergonomics and human factors experts strive to
consider how a product, workplace or structure can be built to accommodate the individuals who need to use it, rather
than requiring people to conform to a design that requires them to work in an inconvenient, stressful or unsafe way.

It is possible to use the terms' ergonomics 'and' human factors' interchangeably since 'ergonomics' is mostly used in
relation to the physical aspects of the setting, such as workstations and control panels, while 'human factors' are often
used in relation to the broader system in which people work.

WHAT IS ERGONOMICS

Definition

The scientific study (Greek - nomos) of human work (Greek - ergon).

Commonly referred as to human factors

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Is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes,
and systems.

Strategy

Ergonomics considers the physical and mental capabilities and limits of the worker as he or she interacts with tools,
equipment, work methods, tasks, and the working environment.

Goal

Reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by adapting the work to fit the person, instead of forcing the
person to adapt to the work.

The goal of human factors is to reduce human error, increase productivity, and enhance safety and comfort with a
specific focus on the interaction between and human and the thing of interest.

Principle

Since everything is designed for human use or consumption, human characteristics should be considered at the
beginning of the design process.

What are Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)?

Don't let this term scare you! Illnesses and injuries that affect one or more parts of the musculoskeletal system. They
include sprains, strains, inflammation, degeneration, tears, pinched nerves or blood vessels, bone splintering and
stress fractures. Symptoms are discomfort, pain, fatigue, swelling, stiffness, or numbness and tingling.

Ergonomics in Hospitality Industry

 Ergonomics prevents these types of injuries by fitting the job to the person using proper equipment and work
practices.
 The hospitality industry is a prime candidate to implement ergonomic solutions. Workers in restaurants and
lodging facilities perform many types of jobs. Many of these jobs are very physical. Dishwashers, servers,
bartenders and luggage handlers are all at risk of on-the-job injuries.
 Cintas Corporation releases a list of the top restaurant injuries in 2011. Among them were sprains and strains
as they stated, “Misplaced or hard-to-reach items can cause worker injury due to overreaching or trips.
Restaurant workers can also suffer from strains due to improper lifting.”

Housekeeping, the riskiest job.

➢ Housekeepers lift and carry heavy objects.
➢ Push heavy carts and vacuums.
➢ Reach high and low to clean rooms, and the do it over and over again.

The Centers for Disease Control says about 1.8 million people worked in the Traveler/ Accommodation industry in
2008. Of those, 400,000 were hotel housekeepers. Among other things, they are at risk for:
 Musculoskeletal injuries from bending and pushing
 Slip-and-fall injuries
 Respiratory illnesses or skin reactions from cleaning chemicals

Chris Montrossis vice-president of CKI Risk Solutions. His company provides ergonomic solutions for the hotel
industry. He says housekeepers clean 15-20 rooms a day. Compared to the average service industry worker, they
are:
 48% more likely to suffer on-the-job injury
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  51% more likely to be serious, disabling injury

In the hospitality industry, about 62% of housekeeping injuries are musculoskeletal. Bed making is the leading
cause. Mattresses are bigger and far heavier than they used to be. That increases lifting strain. Mattresses
sit at below-the-waist level. They are often in close quarters with walls or other furniture. Housekeepers must
assume awkward positions to make the bed.
Montross quotes a study from the University of California at San Francisco:
 91% of housekeepers report job-related pain
 67% have sought medical treatment
 35% have filed worker’s comp claims as a result

These Are All Good Reasons to Adopt Ergonomic Solutions

Essential considerations for choosing ergonomic solutions in any industry are:
 Postures - awkward positions increase risk of injury.
 Movements – actions that are repeated frequently increase risk of injury.
 Budget – hospitality employers are suffering huge losses due to workers’ comp injuries. The need to invest
in ergonomic solutions is obvious. Fortunately, many solutions are not expensive.

Researchers noted that among cumulative trauma injuries for housekeepers:

 40% affect the lower back
 22% affect the hand or wrist
 13% affect the shoulder

Researchers also outlined ways to improve housekeeper health such as:

 Encouraging them to wear comfortable shoes
 Starting the work day with warm-up exercises
 Early reporting of aches or pains
 Training on safer, more efficient ways to work

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Scope of Ergonomics

1. Design of Man-Machine Systems:

A man-machine system is a system where, in relation to one or more computers, devices or facilities, one or
more workmen/humans operate. Productive systems as well as utility systems, such as a post office or
firefighting system or a pharmacy, etc., may be such systems. Ergonomics is used to adjust such systems
so as to provide the user of the device with maximum job satisfaction and comfort and minimal physiological
and mental load.

2. Design of Consumer Goods and Service Systems:

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 In the design of consumer products, ergonomics is applicable, starting from the design of the tooth brush and
other items such as dinning set; sofa set; kitchen ware, table and shoes etc. Similarly, it should also be
economically sound for protective equipment such as safety goggles, adverse weather and space clothing.
gloves, crash helmets, firefighting and industrial hazard protection and appliances.

3. Design of Working Environment:

The multiple factors related to ergonomics, such as human lighting resistance, emissions, noise heating and
ventilation should be taken into account when designing a proper working environment for the
workforce/workers at work. At each stage right design up to real usage or actual operation, this factor should
be taken into account. The area is infinite and applicable. Ergonomic research should be conducted on all
environmental considerations, such as workbench architecture, public transport, road networks, city and
country planning, workers, neighborhoods, airports, etc.

Categories of Ergonomics

There are three broad areas of ergonomics:

➢ Physical ergonomics looks at how human anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical
characteristics relate to physical activity. This includes:
• working postures
• manual handling
• repetitive movements
• musculoskeletal disorders
• workplace layout and environment

➢ Psychological ergonomics studies mental processes (e.g. perception, cognition, memory, reasoning and
emotion) and how people interact with products, systems and environments. This includes:
• mental workload
• attitudes
• decision-making
• stress
• human-computer
• motivation interaction
• pleasure
• human reliability
• cultural differences

➢ Organizational ergonomics is about optimizing the organizational structures, policies and processes of
socio-technical systems. This includes:
• Communication
• working time patterns
• work design
• co-operative work
• staff resource

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 • quality management
• management
• organizational culture

LESSON 2: ERGONOMIC RISK FACTORS

PHYSICAL RISK FACTORS

Awkward postures. Body postures determine which joints and muscles are used in an activity and the amount of
force or stresses that are generated or tolerated. For example, more stress is placed on the spinal discs when
lifting, lowering, or handling objects with the back bent or twisted, compared with when the back is straight.
Manipulative or other tasks requiring repeated or sustained bending or twisting of the wrists, knees, hips, or
shoulders also impose increased stresses on these joints. Activities requiring frequent or prolonged work over
shoulder height can be particularly stressful.

Awkward posture, high force, and high or long frequency are the three key ergonomic risk factors that cause
MSDs. The probability of developing an MSDs enhanced by the combination of postures, forces and frequencies.

➢ Posture -The joints can absorb force more effectively in a neutral pose than in others. As they may stress
joint components and decrease or obstruct blood flow, uncomfortable and extreme postures increase
susceptibility to injury.

Forceful exertions (including lifting, pushing, and pulling). Tasks that require forceful exertions place higher loads
on the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. Increasing force means increasing body demands such as greater
muscle exertion along with other physiological changes necessary to sustain an increased effort. Prolonged or

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 recurrent experiences of this type can give rise to not only feelings of fatigue but may also lead to musculoskeletal
problems when there is inadequate time for rest or recovery. Force requirements may increase with:

• increased weight of a load handled or lifted,

• increased bulkiness of the load handled or lifted,
• use of an awkward posture,
• the speeding up of movements,
• increased slipperiness of the objects handled (requiring increased grip force),
• the presence of vibration (e.g., localized vibration from power hand tools leads to use of an increased
grip force),
• forceful pinch grip compared with gripping the object with your whole hand), and
• use of small or narrow tool handles that lessen grip capacity.

➢ Force- Gripping. pinching, pushing. pulling, and lifting objects place additional force on the body's joints. It
needs additional muscle exertion to increase these forces, which places greater loads on joints and
connective tissues that can cause weakness and can lead to MSD when there is insufficient time for rest and
recovery.

Repetitive motions. If motions are repeated frequently (e.g., every few seconds) and for prolonged periods such
as an 8-hour shift, fatigue and muscle-tendon strain can accumulate. Tendons and muscles can often recover
from the effects of stretching or forceful exertions if sufficient time is allotted between exertions. Effects of
repetitive motions from performing the same work activities are increased when awkward postures and forceful
exertions are involved. Repetitive actions as a risk factor can also depend on the body area and specific act being
performed.

Duration. Duration refers to the amount of time a person is continually exposed

to a risk factor. Job tasks that require use of the same muscles or motions for
long durations increase the likelihood of both localized and general fatigue. In
general, the longer the period of continuous work (e.g., tasks requiring sustained
muscle contraction), the longer the recovery or rest time required.

➢ Frequency - The capacity for injury to a joint is increased by the greater

frequency of uncomfortable postures and/or forces. Frequency refers to how
many times a person repeats a given exertion within a given period of time. Of
course, the more often the exertion is repeated, the greater the speed of
movement of the body part being exerted. Also, recovery time decreases the more frequently an exertion is
completed. And, as with duration, this increases the likelihood of both localized and general fatigue.

Contact stresses. Repeated or continuous contact with hard or sharp objects such as
non-rounded desk edges or unpadded, narrow tool handles may create pressure over
one area of the body (e.g., the forearm or sides of the fingers) that can inhibit nerve
function and blood flow.

Vibration. Exposure to local vibration occurs when a specific part of the body comes in
contact with a vibrating object, such as a power hand tool. Exposure to whole-body
vibration can occur while standing or sitting in vibrating environments or objects, such
as when operating heavy-duty vehicles or large machinery.

Other conditions. Workplace conditions that can influence the presence and magnitude
of the risk factors for MSDs can include:

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 Other risk factors:

• Awkward postures
• Noise
• Bending
• Pushing
• Pulling
• Compression or contact stress
• Reaching
• Forceful exertions
• Repetitive motions
• Insufficient rest breaks
• Static or sustained postures
• Lifting
• Temperature extremes
• Lighting
• Vibration

PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS

In addition to the above conditions, other aspects of work may not only contribute to physical stress but psychological
stress as well. As long as we believe we have adequate control over all aspects of our job, we may experience normal
(positive) stress. However, if we believe we have little control over job demands, we may suffer from abnormal
(negative) distress with accompanying ill health and possible irrational behaviors. Under distress, the probability of
an injury or illness increases.

Importance of ergonomics:

a. Increases productivity
• Best ergonomic solution enhances the productivity
• Ergonomic reduces the unwanted tension, awkward position of the body.
• Ergonomic is focused in making the work your easier and comfortable, this thereby reduces any kind
of stress, risk and enhances the satisfaction and productivity.

b. Reduces the cost

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 • Ergonomics can be considered as the one-time investment
• As ergonomics is focused about marinating the better health of the worker it can further reduce the
cost of compensation that would be made by the injured or unhealthy staffs.
• It also reduces the indirect and the opportunity cost that could have incurred due to injury.

c. Improves the quality of the work

• Improved ergonomics favors the favorable environment where the workers can work efficiently.
• As the ergonomics improves, level of satisfaction in the quality of the work increases.

d. Others
• Helps to reduce the absenteeism due to more comfort, safety and healthy working environment
• Assurance to the worker as their workplace is safer (acts as the motivation)
• More focus on the working environment and worker's health makes them feel valued and boost of
moral.

LESSON 3: TERMINOLOGIES

Administrative controls - Procedures used to reduce the duration, frequency, or severity of exposure to a hazard.
They may include training, job rotation, and gradual introduction to work. Administrative controls are part of hazard
prevention and control strategy.

Awkward posture If a job task looks uncomfortable, it probably is, and this increases the chances for injury.
Whenever possible, arrange the work station or work processes to allow employees to work from a comfortable,
neutral posture. Excessive torso bending. reaching away from the body, bending the neck reaching above shoulder
height are examples of awkward postures.

Discomfort- Mental or physical distress. Examples of physical distress includes aches and pains your body is
experiencing. Examples of mental distress include loss of a loved one, pressure to perform at work, or lack of sleep.

Engineering controls-method of controlling and preventing worker exposure to risk factors or hazards by
redesigning equipment, tools, and work stations

Ergonomics -Ergonomics is the field of study that seeks to match the physical and cognitive requirements of the job
to the abilities of the worker. This is achieved by designing workplaces, environments, job tasks, equipment, and
processes to suit the worker's abilities. Ergonomics is the scientific study of people at work.

Ergonomics program - A systematic method (similar to an accident prevention or quality improvement program)
used to evaluate, prevent, and manage work related musculoskeletal disorders. The four elements of a typical
ergonomics program are worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, medical management, and training and
education. To implement an ergonomics program, some companies use an ergonomics team or committee. This
team would be responsible for identifying and correcting musculoskeletal hazards in the workplace.

Fatigue - A condition that results when the body cannot provide enough energy for the muscles to perform a task. It
results in an incapacity to continue to perform work at the same rate.

Force -The amount of physical effort a person uses to do a task.

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Hand-arm vibration- Vibration (generally from a hand too) that goes through the hand, then travels through the rest
of the body.

Hazard prevention and control- Eliminating or minimizing the hazards identified in the worksite analysis. It involves
changing the jobs, work stations. tools, or environment to fit the worker. Hazard prevention and control is an n element
of the ergonomics program.

Injury incident rate - Represents the number of injuries and/or illnesses per 100 full-time workers, calculated as
follows: (N/EH) 200,000, where N = number of injuries and/or illnesses, EH = total hours worked by all employees
during the calendar year, and 200,000 bases for 100 fulltime equivalent workers (working 40 hours per week, 50
weeks per year).

Mechanical contact stress - The contact of the body with a hard surface or edge that results in the compression of
tissue. Can also result when using a part of the body as a hammer or striking instrument.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) - Illnesses and injuries that affect one or more parts of the soft tissue and bones
in the body. The parts of the musculoskeletal system are bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and their
associated nerves and blood vessels.

Neutral posture - Comfortable working posture that reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. An ideal posture
for the upper body would be: arms at your sides, elbows bent, wrists straight, and eyes looking straight ahead.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) -Gloves, kneepads, and other equipment that may help reduce hazards until
other controls can be implemented or that supplement existing controls.

Repetitiveness-Performing the same motions repeatedly. The severity of risk depends on the frequency of repetition,
speed of the movement or action, the number of muscle groups involved, and the required force.

Risk factors - An aspect of a job that increases the worker's chance of getting a work-related musculoskeletal
disorder.

Severity rate - The cost in terms of lost workdays (or dollars) of new injuries and illnesses. It is calculated as the
number of lost workdays per total number of hours worked by all employees during a specified time period.

Static loading (or sustained exertions) - Physical effort or posture that is held without movement and requires
muscle contraction for more than a short time. As muscles remain contracted, the blood flow to the muscles is
reduced.

Worksite analysis - A safety and health review that addresses work-related musculoskeletal disorders. It is a
structured way of identifying jobs and work stations that may contain musculoskeletal hazards, risk factors that pose
the hazards, and causes of the risk factors.

Medical Terms for Musculoskeletal Disorders

Carpal tunnel syndrome - A compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

Chronic low-back pain - General soreness and fatigue of the low back. Pain is usually constant, and it accompanies
most activities.

Constriction - Binding, squeezing, or shrinking blood vessels so that circulation is reduced.

Cubital tunnel syndrome-Compression of the ulnar nerve as it passes through the notch of the elbow.

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Cumulative trauma disorders - Injuries and illnesses that generally occur as a result of exposure to repeated
stresses over a period of time. They affect one or more parts of the soft tissues and bones of the musculoskeletal
system and/or nerves and blood vessels servicing the musculoskeletal system.

Degenerative disc disease - Wear and tear of the discs that separate the vertebrae of the spine.

DeQuervain's Disease - An inflammation of the tendon and/or its sheath at the base of the thumb.

Digital neuritis - Compression of the nerves along the sides of the fingers or thumbs, resulting in tingling and
numbness.

Epicondylitis - An inflammation of the tendons at the elbow. Also called tennis elbow (lateral or outside part of the
elbow) or golfer's elbow (medial or inside part of the elbow).

Ganglionic cyst - Swelling of the tendon sheath due to the buildup of synovial fluid inside the sheath. The cyst usually
causes a bump under the skin. Nonspecific backache General soreness and fatigue of the low back.

Osteoarthritis - Most common type of arthritis, especially among older people. sometimes called degenerative joint
disease or wear-and-tear arthritis. Unlike 10 other types of arthritis, it only affects the joints, not internal organs. It
causes persistent stiffness and swelling of the joints.

Raynaud's Phenomenon - A constriction of the blood vessels in the hands and fingers. Also called "white finger."

Rotator cuff tendonitis - Inflammation of one or more tendons at the shoulder. Also called "pitcher's shoulder."

Sprain - Overstretching or overexertion of a ligament that results in a tear or rupture of the ligament.

Strain - Overstretching or overexertion of a muscle or tendon.

Tendonitis - Inflammation of the tendon.

Tenosynovitis - Inflammation of the sheath around the tendon.

Thoracic outlet syndrome - Compression of the nerves and blood vessels between the neck and shoulder often
associated with prolonged overhead work.

Trigger finger - A common term for tendonitis or tenosynovitis that causes painful locking of the finger(s) while
flexing.

Ulnar nerve entrapment - Compression of the ulnar nerve as it passes through the wrist, often associated with
prolonged flexion and extension of the wrist and pressure on the palm.

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