Ergonomics in Lean Manufacturing

Ergonomics is often referred to as a discipline containing human factors affecting or influencing manufacturing production.

Ergonomics mainly focuses on the human body, its capacity and its limits. Thus, ergonomics is often considered a full-scale scientific discipline that tries to touch and understand interactions between humans and other significant elements of a system, usually the working environment.

Thus, ergonomics as a profession aims to optimize well-being and total system performance of human beings working in an environment. To achieve that, ergonomics apply certain methods, data, principles and theories that would be of great significance to production.

Ergonomics and lean manufacturing

Lean manufacturing is a management principle or approach that principally targets the improvement in competitiveness and profitability of a business.

The main concern of lean manufacturing is to eliminate or scrap unnecessary and wasteful behavior and practices of work personnel.

Thus, it would be safe and appropriate to say that lean manufacturing and ergonomics are bed mates. The two work disciplines and principles could greatly and undoubtedly complement each other.

It would also be proper to assert that ergonomics and lean manufacturing could work hand in hand to make sure the attainment of their respective goals and aims are achieved.

Ergonomics involve the design, assessment and evaluation of activities, tasks, work loads or jobs, products, working environments and work systems.

For its part, lean manufacturing involves approaches or business strategies that attempt to maximize productivity in the workplace by reducing, if not totally eliminating, unnecessary and unproductive tasks, activities and working behaviors.

Experts estimate that improvements brought about by adhering to ergonomics can bring in lean manufacturing results or save production time by as much as 25% to 40% on the general average.

Specific areas of lean manufacturing that targets lean manufacturing

There are five specific branches of ergonomics that can specifically bring in desired and productive results when integrated with lean manufacturing.

The five ergonomics branches are worker selection, man-machine allocation, anthropometrics, biomechanics and physiology. Read on to find out more about these ergonomics branches.

Worker selection--- Ergonomics suggest that to achieve a major streamlining initiative or lean manufacturing effort, companies should start from the top.

That means, to be able to eliminate and prevent wasteful and unproductive practices and behavior in the office, they should hire personnel that are apparently able to contribute to maximized productivity.

Analysis of resumes and curriculum vitae of job applicants is very important, because the working nature of an individual are somehow stated within the contexts of these application papers. The employer should just learn how to read between the lines.

Man-machine allocation—Allocation in ergonomics and lean manufacturing means the division of work between personnel and machines or manufacturing equipment.

To be able to achieve this ergonomics goal, the management should carefully plan and assign the use of specific manufacturing machines by certain personnel. Through that, both the equipment and the worker are not worn out, thus, increasing productivity.

Anthropometry—Anthropometrics in ergonomics and lean manufacturing focuses on the human capacity. This branch concentrates and deals with the weight, dimension and strengths of the personnel’s physical body.

By doing so, production will not be interrupted and smooth pacing of manufacturing is attained. Workers with weaker capacities will be assigned to handle works and equipments that they can surely handle, while the stronger workers will be given jobs using machines that fit their physical capacity.

Ergonomics and lean manufacturing are interrelated disciplines. Companies and firms that aim to maximize productivity should take the initiative to adopt and implement ergonomics and lean manufacturing strategies and processes.