Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

15
Physical and 
psychological health 
hazards and control

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Physical and psychological health hazards and control
251
➤
environmental issues affecting the work process such 
as lighting, temperature, humidity, noise and atmos-
pheric pollutants
➤
the interaction between the worker and the task, 
such as the production rate, posture and system of 
working
➤
the task or job itself – the design of a safe system of 
work, checking that the job is not too strenuous or 
repetitive and the development of suitable training 
packages
➤
the organization of the work, such as shift work, 
breaks and supervision.
The reduction of the possibility of human error is one 
of the major aims of ergonomics and an ergonomic 
assessment. An important part of an ergonomic study is 
to design the workstation or equipment to fi t the worker. 
For this to be successful, the physical measurement 
of the human body and an understanding of the var-
iations in these measurements between people is essen-
tial. Such a study is known as 
anthropometry
, which 
is defi ned as the scientifi c measurement of the human 
body and its movement. Since there are considerable 
variations in, for example, the heights of people, it is 
common for some part of the workstation to be variable 
(e.g. an adjustable seat).
15.2.2 The ill-health effects of poor ergonomics
Ergonomic hazards are those hazards to health resulting 
from poor ergonomic design. They generally fall within the 
physical hazard category and include the manual handling 
and lifting of loads, pulling and pushing loads, prolonged 
periods of repetitive activities and work with vibrating 
tools. The condition of the working environment, such 
as low lighting levels, can present health hazards to the 
eyes. It is also possible for psychological conditions, such 
as occupational stress, to result from ergonomic hazards.
The common ill-health effects of ergonomic hazards 
are musculoskeletal disorders (back injuries, covered 
in Chapter 10, and work-related upper limb disorders 
(WRULDs) including repetitive strain injury being the 
main disorders) and deteriorating eyesight.