Workplace Ergonomics and Design Training Course

Participants can relate body dimensions and biomechanical loading to design decisions.

• Musculoskeletal structures most affected by occupational postures and physical loading
• Neutral joint positions and their relevance to sustained task performance
• Static loading, dynamic loading and tissue recovery during working time
• Force, moment arms and spinal compression in common work postures
• Anthropometric percentiles used for reach, clearance, height and adjustability
• Designing adjustability for diverse users rather than an average worker

Participants can select relevant standards and document the evidence supporting decisions.

• ISO 6385 requirements translated into workplace design and assessment criteria
• ISO 11226 guidance for evaluating static working postures
• ISO 11228 parts covering lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling
• Display screen equipment duties, local regulations and organisational procedures
• Evidence sources: observations, measurements, worker reports, records and photographs
• Confidential handling of health information during ergonomic assessment activities

Participants can prepare a proportionate assessment plan for a defined work problem.

• Assessment triggers: complaints, incidents, absence trends, change projects and inspections
• Problem statements separating symptoms, exposure factors and underlying work-system causes
• Scoping workers, tasks, shifts, locations, equipment and environmental conditions
• Assessment plans specifying methods, responsibilities, timescales and consultation arrangements
• Sampling strategy for variable tasks, peak periods and different worker groups
• Initial risk register linking hazards, exposed groups and required evidence

Participants can gather reliable task information through observation and structured consultation.

• Task breakdown using sequence, duration, frequency, force and recovery periods
• Observation protocols that capture postures, movements, reaches and equipment use
• Worker interviews using open questions about discomfort, barriers and workarounds
• Photographic and video records collected with consent and defined purpose
• Time sampling and activity logging for repetitive or variable tasks
• Triangulating worker reports, supervisor information, records and direct observations

Participants can assess display screen equipment setups and specify suitable adjustments.

• Display screen equipment risk factors affecting vision, posture and upper limbs
• Screen height, distance, glare and text size adjustment criteria
• Keyboard, mouse and document placement for neutral upper-limb postures
• Laptop use controls including docking, external peripherals and portable arrangements
• DSE self-assessment questionnaires reviewed against observed workstation conditions
• Adjustment records and escalation routes for unresolved workstation concerns

Participants can specify seated workstation adjustments for individual users and tasks.

• Chair adjustment sequence for seat height, depth, backrest and armrests
• Foot support, lumbar support and pelvic position during seated work
• Desk height assessment against elbow height and task requirements
• Reach zones applied to frequently used tools, documents and controls
• Sit-stand variation planned around task demands rather than fixed schedules
• Individual adjustments documented without treating furniture as the sole control

Participants can design standing work areas that reduce reach, posture and fatigue risks.

• Standing workstation height selected from task precision and user elbow height
• Primary and secondary reach zones used for layout decisions
• Work surface tilt, orientation and visibility for inspection and assembly
• Anti-fatigue mats assessed alongside footwear, flooring and task duration
• Material presentation height designed to reduce bending and shoulder elevation
• Layout changes tested against workflow, access, quality and emergency requirements

Participants can analyse lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling risks systematically.

• Manual handling task profiles covering load, posture, frequency, distance and environment
• NIOSH Lifting Equation inputs and limits for two-handed lifting tasks
• ISO 11228 factors applied to lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling
• Load characteristics including stability, handholds, temperature and centre of mass
• Travel paths assessed for obstructions, slopes, doors and turning requirements
• Handling controls ranked through elimination, mechanical aids, layout and work organisation

Participants can identify ergonomic design requirements for tools and production equipment.

• Hand-tool selection based on grip, trigger force, vibration and task posture
• Tool handle dimensions matched to precision, power and glove requirements
• Machine controls positioned for visibility, reach, force and error prevention
• Jigs, fixtures and balancers used to reduce force and awkward postures
• Maintenance requirements considered when specifying equipment access and clearances
• Ergonomic acceptance criteria included within equipment commissioning documentation

Participants can assess repetitive upper-limb exposures and recommend controls.

• Repetition, force, posture and recovery as interacting upper-limb risk factors
• RULA scoring for screening neck, trunk and upper-limb postural exposures
• Strain Index considerations for distal upper-extremity task demands
• Cycle time analysis identifying recovery gaps and concentrated task exposure
• Job rotation assessed for changed exposures rather than assumed risk reduction
• Microbreaks, task variation and production targets coordinated with operational needs

Participants can assess environmental conditions that affect comfort, performance and safety.

• Lighting levels, contrast and glare assessed against visual task requirements
• Noise exposure effects on communication, concentration and error detection
• Thermal comfort factors including air movement, clothing and metabolic rate
• Whole-body vibration exposures linked to vehicles, seating and terrain conditions
• Hand-arm vibration controls involving tool selection, maintenance and exposure duration
• Environmental findings integrated with task design rather than treated separately

Participants can identify cognitive demands that contribute to errors and overload.

• Mental workload sources: information volume, time pressure, interruptions and complexity
• Situation awareness supported through displays, alarms, labels and task sequencing
• Control-display compatibility for equipment interfaces and control-room work
• Checklists designed to support memory without creating unnecessary administrative burden
• Error-tolerant design using constraints, confirmations, feedback and standardisation
• Alarm management principles reducing nuisance alarms and missed critical signals

Participants can incorporate work-organisation factors into ergonomic risk controls.

• Work pace, autonomy, staffing and scheduling as ergonomic exposure modifiers
• Fatigue risk factors linked to shifts, overtime, breaks and workload
• Psychosocial hazards distinguished from physical ergonomics while assessing interactions
• Worker participation methods that identify practical barriers to safer work
• Production pressures examined when controls depend on behavioural compliance
• Escalation routes for concerns requiring occupational health or management action

Participants can organise consultation that produces practical and accepted ergonomic improvements.

• Participatory ergonomics roles for workers, supervisors, specialists and decision-makers
• Consultation plans identifying affected groups, representatives and communication channels
• Problem-solving sessions structured around evidence, constraints and control options
• Worker trials used to identify usability issues before wider implementation
• Disagreement managed through criteria, documented decisions and defined escalation
• Feedback loops reporting assessment findings, decisions and implementation progress

Participants can write measurable ergonomic requirements for purchases and workplace changes.

• User requirements translated into measurable dimensions, ranges and performance criteria
• Ergonomic specifications for chairs, desks, monitors, tools and adjustable equipment
• Supplier evidence reviewed through drawings, data sheets, demonstrations and trials
• Total cost considerations including maintenance, training, adjustments and replacement
• Procurement evaluation matrices weighting ergonomics alongside quality, safety and price
• Change-control records preserving design assumptions, approvals and acceptance criteria

Participants can develop risk controls that address causes and operational constraints.

• Hierarchy of controls applied to ergonomic hazards and work-system causes
• Engineering, administrative and behavioural controls compared for reliability and limitations
• Control packages combining equipment, layout, scheduling, training and supervision
• Prioritisation matrices using risk level, feasibility, cost, urgency and affected workers
• Reasonable adjustment options assessed against individual functional work requirements
• Intervention plans assigning owners, milestones, resources and success measures

Participants can implement ergonomic changes while maintaining worker involvement and operational control.

• Implementation sequencing for quick fixes, pilots, capital projects and policy changes
• Pilot criteria defining users, duration, measures and decision thresholds
• Supervisor briefings covering adjustments, reporting routes and control maintenance
• Training needs analysis for new equipment, revised tasks and handling aids
• Resistance to change addressed through consultation, demonstrations and evidence
• Communication plans stating what changes, why, when and who supports users

Participants can evaluate interventions and maintain an ergonomics assurance process.

• Leading indicators including assessment completion, corrective action closure and consultation rates
• Lagging indicators including discomfort reports, absence, incidents and restricted duties
• Before-and-after measures selected for exposure, usability, quality and productivity
• Verification inspections confirming controls remain fitted, adjusted and correctly used
• Ergonomics audit criteria linked to standards, procedures and improvement plans
• Management review reports presenting trends, unresolved risks and resource requirements

Participants can build, review and present a complete ergonomics assessment and improvement plan for a workplace scenario.

• Assessment scope defines tasks, workers, evidence sources and operational constraints
• Task analysis records postures, forces, repetitions, durations and environmental conditions
• RULA, DSE or manual-handling methods selected to match identified exposures
• Risk findings prioritised using severity, likelihood, exposure and affected worker numbers
• Control recommendations specify design changes, owners, resources and implementation dates
• Review measures establish verification, worker feedback, outcome indicators and follow-up
• Peer review tests evidence quality, feasibility, standards alignment and report clarity