Introduction & Overview
Ergonomics plays a critical role in keeping datacenter work safe, efficient, and reliable. It starts with understanding how people interact with the equipment and environments around them.
What is ergonomics?
Many country governments define “ergonomics” as “the science or study of matching the worker to the job.” Ergonomics has several branches. Three of the main ones are covered in this course.
Office Ergonomics
Addresses the fit of the job to workers who generally work in offices, where risk is generally low but not absent.
Industrial Ergonomics
Addresses the fit of the job to workers in manual jobs: datacenter manufacturing, warehousing, maritime, oil & gas, logging.
Environmental Ergonomics
Addresses the fit of the environment of the job to workers in both manual and office jobs: noise, light, temperature.
Why ill-fitting jobs matter
Ill-fitting jobs and job environments make employees uncomfortable and put them at risk of injury or illness.
- Most commonly cause "musculoskeletal" injuries: injuries to bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, and cartilage.
- Ill-fitting job environments can cause illnesses such as headaches, nausea, and allergic reactions.
- Can result in reduced productivity, because a worker’s focus shifts to their discomfort and not to their job.
- Once identified, ergonomic risks need to be addressed. That is the purpose of this course.
Office, Industrial, and Environmental Ergonomics overlap
Environmental Ergonomics is addressed alongside Office and Industrial Ergonomics, because common environmental issues are found in both office and industrial work areas.
Office Ergonomics
Industrial Ergonomics
Environmental Ergonomics