ERGONOMICS: FINDING AND MAINTAINING THE GOLDEN ZONE

摘要

Manufacturing, warehousing and distribution have traditionally been associated with some amount of physical strain on employees. But heavy lifting, repetitive move- ments and the constant pressure to improve productivity often result in injuries and high turnover. In an effort to avoid those consequences, end-users and suppliers have worked to develop ergonomic solutions that better serve an aging and diverse workforce. Lift trucks, initially intended to simply move materials through a facility, are borrowing from the creature comforts of modern cars to provide enhanced comfort and productivity. Workstations, once designed to cram as much as possible in the smallest space, are now optimized to reduce strain and can even be adjustable to the specific dimensions of an individual worker. In nearly every case, an emphasis on form has also improved the function of equipment and operators.