Ergonomics
The discipline of adapting work, tools, and environment to human capability to improve safety, comfort, and performance.
Reference Page
Industrial ergonomics glossary
A practical reference to align understanding across engineering, procurement, HSE, and operations teams. Use this page as a shared baseline for ergonomics planning discussions.
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
Injuries or disorders affecting muscles, joints, tendons, and related structures, often linked to repetitive strain and awkward posture.
Manual Handling
Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or moving loads by human effort, with varying physical risk depending on weight and frequency.
Repetitive Strain
Cumulative physical stress from repeating similar motions over time, potentially reducing comfort and control quality.
Awkward Posture
Body positioning that places joints outside neutral alignment, increasing fatigue and risk of long-term strain.
Engineering Control
A technical intervention that reduces hazard exposure at the source, such as lifting assistance and ergonomic handling systems.
Cycle Time
The total time required to complete one operational handling cycle in a process.
ROI (Return on Investment)
A financial metric used to evaluate whether gains from ergonomic investment justify the implementation cost.
Workstation Design
Layout and equipment configuration designed to support safe posture, efficient motion, and consistent output quality.
Fatigue Management
Operational strategies to reduce physical and mental exhaustion that can affect safety and productivity.
How To Use This Glossary
Apply a shared vocabulary across teams
Engineering Team
Align technical discussion on load profile, workstation design, and control options.
Procurement Team
Evaluate requirement scope and compare ergonomic solution proposals consistently.
Plant and HSE Team
Standardize language for risk review, training, and implementation decisions.
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