Ergonomics indicators: A proposal for sustainable process performance measurement in ergonomics.

Process performance measurement (PPM) has become a challenging task for organisations, which have many various processes, in today's globalised world. This challenging task is also remarkable in ergonomics, and combining sustainability with ergonomics can provide beneficial solutions for assessing risks and providing ergonomically favourable conditions for human well-being. In this paper, new ergonomics indicators (EIs) are proposed, classified, and described in detail to overcome this challenge through a systematic literature review that integrates ergonomics and sustainability. By considering sustainability indicators (SIs) selected from the review, the proposed EIs are presented within a three-dimensional structure. This structure enables measuring the performance on various issues in an organisation such as occupational health and safety, decent work, technology, working conditions, employee empowerment and development, charities, innovations, and recycling. Through systematic measurements using these indicators, more traceable and manageable processes can be achieved. Hence, ergonomists or managers can identify and prevent risky conditions practically. Practitioner Summary: This paper proposes ergonomics indicators and detailed descriptions for ensuring sustainable process performance measurement in ergonomics. The sustainability indicators presented as references for these proposals are utilised through selection and consolidation from literature. The ergonomics indicators are structured within a sustainability framework that considers six sustainability sub-dimensions proposed for ergonomics.

Interactive ergonomic risk mapping: a practical approach for visual management of workplace ergonomics.

Current studies identify an increasing need to develop enriched tools for ergonomic risk management that can foster an atmosphere enhancing commitment of all stakeholders to create a safe and heathy work environment using ergonomic principles. In this study, a new tool for visualization of ergonomic practices in the workplace is proposed. For developing this tool, an interactive ergonomic risk mapping (intERM) methodology is introduced consisting of five steps while integrating the company's strategic vision and helping to accommodate the impacts of changes in policy and regulatory context, economic and demographic environment, technology and employment context. The proposed systematic and practical methodology is demonstrated on a real-life example. This visual and interactive tool enables prompt identification of and reaction to ergonomic risks, anticipating changes for reducing/eliminating ergonomic risks, as well as increasing company-wide awareness for ergonomic risks and enhancing engagement and ownership of stakeholders.

A structural framework for sustainable processes in ergonomics.

Considering today's globalised world, new concepts that assist ergonomics are needed to provide human well-being. Accordingly, the sustainability concept is used in this study to satisfy the needs of stakeholders, put environmentally-friendly and cost-effective interventions into practice and provide ergonomically well-designed and easily managed processes that are more flexible, adaptable and human-sensitive. To achieve this, a practical and easily adaptable framework, which integrates ergonomics and sustainability by presenting the relations between fundamental elements of ergonomics and sustainability dimensions (SDs), is proposed. Within this base framework, ergonomic indicators (EIs) and sub-dimensions proposed for the classification of EIs are structured for ergonomics under a sustainability point-of-view. The sub-dimensions proposed in this study, which have direct or indirect relations to humans, are 'Loss', 'Investment', 'Conditions', 'Contribution', 'Self-Development', and 'Satisfaction'. This structural framework, which can be easily used by ergonomists or managers, ensures a good starting point for providing sustainable processes in ergonomics. Practitioner summary: This study proposes a structural framework to present the relations between ergonomics and sustainability. In the context of ergonomics, fundamental elements of ergonomics are chosen, while three dimensions of sustainability and proposed sub-dimensions are used in the context of sustainability. The adapted ergonomic indicators are also classified within these sub-dimensions.Abbreviations: SDs: sustainability dimensions; SIs: sustainability indicators; EIs: ergonomic indicators.