What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics is defined as the study of how people work. Ergonomics looks at what kind of work you do, what tools you use and your whole job environment. The aim is to find the best fit between you and your job conditions. No matter what the job is, the goal is to make sure that you are safe, comfortable, and less prone to work-related injuries. [1]Ergonomics is the scientific discipline concerned with designing according to human needs and as such works with the field of anthropometry, which is the measurement of human individuals for the purposes of understanding human physical variation across a population, [2] Ergonomists, like architects and clothing designers, for example, use the statistical data about the distribution of body dimensions in the population to optimize products.[3]

In practical terms, the word "work" has come to include almost any aspect of our daily lives such as, sleep, exercise, work, sports and education. Scientists who study ergonomics discover and apply information about human behavior, abilities, limitations, and other characteristics to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs and environments for productive, safe, comfortable, and effective human use.  "In simple terms, we try to make things fit people instead of making people fit things," says Dr. Mark E. Benden, CPE (Certified Professional Ergonomist).

Ergonomics and Education
In schools, we are concerned with multiple levels of ergonomic intervention. It starts with physical issues like correct loading of backpacks, designed to distribute loads on the proper part of a child's shoulders and back.  It may progress to classroom visual aids, smart boards, projection screens, viewing distances or access for the disabled. In nearly all schools, ergonomic projects start with classroom design and layout and narrow down to the selection of the proper desks and chairs based on anthropometric criteria. 

The overall goal for children in classrooms is to be active physically and mentally teachable. Static postures tend to cause discomfort, lethargy and limited learning since they reduce respiration, reaction time and alertness while shortening attention span. Active environments allow children to move and change posture often. They encourage variable classroom setups and allow children to sit or stand as needed to stay on task.


Ergonomics and Computers
The fastest growing area of ergonomic classroom research is the interaction of students with computers. Over 90% of school age children interact with computers daily and nearly all of those do so in an academic setting. For that application, designers work to fit the proper monitor, keyboard and mouse at the proper height, distance or angle to ensure safe learning for all sizes of student. Information technology has been changing the implements of education. Young students are being exposed to ergonomic risks related to this change as they transport and use these tools. Furniture, computers and backpacks are putting students at risk and they receive little training about these hazards. [4]



Ergonomic and Sagus
How is ergonomics used at Sagus International? Ergonomic principles are incorporated into our product design and manufacturing processes, as in Artco-Bell's DiscoverTM chair. Ergonomics furthers our ability to create products that have the focus on safety and usability needed to produce the highest quality learning and working environments.

Sagus uses the principles of ergonomics in a variety of products. For example, Midwest Folding Products, a division of Sagus International, incorporates the spirit of ergonomic design into their mobile cafeteria tables, which can be safely and easily moved by one person. As you can see in the following video, Midwest also designed its Transfold(TM) Portable Stages to be safely, easily and comfortably assembled by one adult in very little time.

Useful Ergonomic Links

Teachers:

Ergonomics4Schools

Are you Sitting Comfortably?

Guidelines on setting up computer workstations for adults

Guidelines on setting up classroom computers for students I

Guidelines on setting up classroom computers for students II


School Administrators:

General information on ergonomics in schools


Computer use:

http://www.orosha.org/cergos/

http://www.healthycomputing.com/kids/

http://ergo.human.cornell.edu/CUergocomics.htm


Peer Reviewed Research:

http://www.iea.cc/ergonomics4children/index.html?phpMyAdmin=XPyBrlJQjtrNYKM50fpmCYvGm%2C8&phpMyAdmin=jLDUJrGUIxQ-3p3v5atPhaf1Xo8

http://www.iea.cc/ergonomics4children/research.html


Societies with Ergonomics for Children Special Interest Groups:

New Zealand Ergonomics Society: Ergonomics in Schools SIG

Ergonomics Society (UK): Ergonomics 4 Schools

HFES (USA): Education Technical Group


Anthropometric Data:

Anthrokids, USA

[1]MedlinePlus, "Ergonomics"(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ergonomics.html)

[2]Wikipedia, "Athropometrics" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropometrics)

[3]Wikipedia, "Ergonomics" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomics)

[4]"Changing education ergonomics," Cheryl Bennett, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, The Proceeding of the XVI Annual International Occupational Ergonomics and Safety Conference, 2002.

Practical Ergonomics