Implementing Practical Ergonomics Knowledge Transfer Using Ergonomic Checkpoints to Support the Participatory Ergonomics Process in an Industrially Developing Country
{"title":"Implementing Practical Ergonomics Knowledge Transfer Using Ergonomic Checkpoints to Support the Participatory Ergonomics Process in an Industrially Developing Country","authors":"N. Abdollahpour, Faramarz Helali","doi":"10.1080/24725838.2022.2054880","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Ergonomics knowledge transfer is one of the potential challenges in organizations in industrially developing countries. For the effective implementation of a systemic ergonomics knowledge transfer process, the involvement of all organizational levels is necessary, especially workers, with the facilitation of ergonomics expert. Applying a participatory ergonomics process with different participatory approaches for participant involvement – including a top-down approach, as a pushing tactic for intentional learning, and a bottom-up approach, as a pulling tactic for voluntary learning – can play a key role in the transfer and application of practical ergonomics knowledge. The results of this study showed that active involvement of all organizational levels, especially workers through action learning and a learner-centered approach, and using the ILO ergonomic checkpoints, could improve participant learning of ergonomics principles. In addition, this process can lead to improved competence of personnel in identifying problems and providing and implementing solutions to improve working conditions, especially low-cost solutions. Accordingly, if this process continues as a constant improvement process through multiple learning cycles, it can improve participation and ergonomics culture and achieve additional practical benefits of the Human Factors/Ergonomics. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Implementing ergonomics principles in workplaces requires good knowledge transfer with the participation of professionals, workers, and managers. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate practical ergonomics knowledge transfer to support the participatory ergonomics process that could lead problem identification and the implementation and development of feasible and low-cost solutions. Methods: This was action research on the type of intervention and conducted in four phases. Accordingly, 106 participants from different organizational levels of a manufacturing company, facilitated by an ergonomist by forming 14 action groups, were involved in practical ergonomics knowledge transfer to identify and solve problems of work divisions. Participant reflections were obtained through interviews and field notes. Results: The results contributed to the presentation of 145 solutions to improve working conditions by the action groups. Most solutions were low-cost and 57.5% were implemented. The interviews showed the development of a participation culture, learning and institutionalizing ergonomics principles in practice, and improving competence in identifying problems and implementing solutions. Conclusions: The key findings were achieved by the participatory ergonomics intervention approach through different tactics of participant engagement, including a pushing tactic for intentional learning and a pulling tactic for voluntary learning, which resulted in the improvement of working conditions and promotion of a participatory culture.","PeriodicalId":73332,"journal":{"name":"IISE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"10 1","pages":"59 - 70"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2022-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"IISE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/24725838.2022.2054880","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Ergonomics knowledge transfer is one of the potential challenges in organizations in industrially developing countries. For the effective implementation of a systemic ergonomics knowledge transfer process, the involvement of all organizational levels is necessary, especially workers, with the facilitation of ergonomics expert. Applying a participatory ergonomics process with different participatory approaches for participant involvement – including a top-down approach, as a pushing tactic for intentional learning, and a bottom-up approach, as a pulling tactic for voluntary learning – can play a key role in the transfer and application of practical ergonomics knowledge. The results of this study showed that active involvement of all organizational levels, especially workers through action learning and a learner-centered approach, and using the ILO ergonomic checkpoints, could improve participant learning of ergonomics principles. In addition, this process can lead to improved competence of personnel in identifying problems and providing and implementing solutions to improve working conditions, especially low-cost solutions. Accordingly, if this process continues as a constant improvement process through multiple learning cycles, it can improve participation and ergonomics culture and achieve additional practical benefits of the Human Factors/Ergonomics. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Implementing ergonomics principles in workplaces requires good knowledge transfer with the participation of professionals, workers, and managers. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate practical ergonomics knowledge transfer to support the participatory ergonomics process that could lead problem identification and the implementation and development of feasible and low-cost solutions. Methods: This was action research on the type of intervention and conducted in four phases. Accordingly, 106 participants from different organizational levels of a manufacturing company, facilitated by an ergonomist by forming 14 action groups, were involved in practical ergonomics knowledge transfer to identify and solve problems of work divisions. Participant reflections were obtained through interviews and field notes. Results: The results contributed to the presentation of 145 solutions to improve working conditions by the action groups. Most solutions were low-cost and 57.5% were implemented. The interviews showed the development of a participation culture, learning and institutionalizing ergonomics principles in practice, and improving competence in identifying problems and implementing solutions. Conclusions: The key findings were achieved by the participatory ergonomics intervention approach through different tactics of participant engagement, including a pushing tactic for intentional learning and a pulling tactic for voluntary learning, which resulted in the improvement of working conditions and promotion of a participatory culture.