Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors

Ergonomics is an applied science. Its general purpose is to adapt people's activities, equipment and environments to fit their needs and capacities. By doing this, ergonomists and 'human factors' experts aim to optimise the efficiency and safety of people's interactions with their activities and related environments.

Ergonomics knowledge is applied in many different areas, such as:

• transportation, aerospace and military systems
• occupational health, safety and rehabilitation
• consumer product design, and
• manufacturing systems.

Depending on the particular area and the circumstances, ergonomists might be aiming to enhance:

• overall system performance efficiency and productivity
• product or system usability
• system safety
• individual health and well being.
  

Australia has often led the world in the successful application of ergonomics, particularly in the design and management of our road traffic system, and in many aspects of occupational health and safety.

The terms 'ergonomics' and 'human factors' are formally interchangeable, but in practice they have different connotations. 'Ergonomics' suggests an emphasis on biological issues and is more commonly used in the areas of occupational health and safety, and consumer product design. 'Human factors' suggests an emphasis on psychological issues and is more often used by practitioners in transportation, aerospace and military systems.

The effective application of 'ergonomics' or 'human factors' is based on knowledge of both biological and psychological factors, and on this website the term 'ergonomics' is used in its broadest sense to include both biological and psychological aspects of human and system functioning.

Ergonomics knowledge is developed by ergonomics researchers and is applied by ergonomists, human factors engineers and human factors psychologists. Staff at the Centre are active both as researchers and as practitioners.

Most of the currently practising ergonomists started with a professional qualification in another, related field. This might be one of the underlying sciences such as psychology or physiology, or one of the professional fields in which ergonomics is commonly practised, such as engineering, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or industrial design. Postgraduate ergonomics students at La Trobe University include many graduates from such backgrounds.

More Information About Ergonomics

• International Ergonomics Association: http://www.iea.cc/
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia: www.ergonomics.org.au
• Ergonomics Society (UK): www.ergonomics.org.uk
• Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (USA): http://hfes.org/

The CEHF research program and associated consulting activities are characterised by a broad, socio-technical systems approach to assessing and managing workplace health and safety risks stemming from:

• the physical, cognitive and emotional demands of work performance
• design of workstations and related equipment, including computer software
• psychosocial and physical characteristics of the workplace environment
• the broader community context
• including socioeconomic and cultural factors.

Most C.E.H.F. research is on Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), Ageing Workforce Issues, Occupational Health and Safety – General, and, Road Safety. Some of the ageing workforce research is conducted in collaboration with the Faculty’s Lincoln Centre for Research on Ageing.

There is a strong research focus on the roles of psychosocial hazards and occupational stress in the aetiology of musculoskeletal disorders and of various other workplace health or performance problems. Currently, a major project is developing and validating methods suitable for routine workplace use in managing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, working with both Australian and international partners in a diverse range of industry sectors and environments. Several projects are specific to occupational groups within the healthcare sector.

Working in collaboration with a range of international colleagues within the WHO network of Collaborating Centres, C.E.H.F. currently has a major role in documenting and analyzing impacts of globalisation on occupational health and in identifying potential risk management strategies for implementation by national governments and international NGOs, in accord with the WHO Workers’ health: global plan of action.

Beyond occupational health and safety, Centre staff are also active in research on various Road and Community Safety and Health issues. Research on functionally impaired and older drivers is usually conducted collaboratively with the driver Research/Education Unit based in the Faculty’s School of Occupational Therapy – OT-DRIVE.

Prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders – MSDs

Research Reports

• Review of research evidence identifying main work-related predictors of musculoskeletal disorders
• Results from a project to develop and validate a risk assessment tool for workplace use in assessing MSD risk [PDF 1.46MB]

WHO network projects:
Hazard surveillance to manage musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk (encompasses several of the projects below) Development of a toolkit for managing the risk of MSDs (an International Ergonomics Association project, co-managed by Wendy Macdonald)

Higher Degree Research Students with MSD-related topics

• Elizabeth Martin - MAppSc: MSD risk in occupational therapists
• Sarah Anderson - MAppSc: MSD risk in prosthetists and orthotists
• Ismail Maakip - PhD: MSD risk in women performing repetitive and monotonous work in manufacturing, retail and clerical jobs in Malaysia
• Donna Smith – PhD: MSD risk for nurses within the context of an ageing workforce <

Higher Degree Thesis Supervisors of one or more of the above students: Wendy Macdonald, Jodi Oakman, Owen Evans, Chris Peterson, David Caple

Ageing Workforce Issues

Higher Degree Research Students with ageing-related topics (a subset of those above)

Donna Smith - see above

Higher Degree Thesis Supervisors of one or both of the above students:

Wendy Macdonald, Jodi Oakman, Chris Peterson

NB: Our research on the above topics has a strong focus on the influence of workload and other psychosocial hazards on health and wellbeing.

Occupational Health & Safety – General

WHO network projects:

Global situation analysis (Wendy Macdonald & Professor David Rees, National Institute for Occupational Health, South Africa) Electronic inventory and repository of guidance documents, risk management tools and related resources for vulnerable worker groups (Owen Evans, Wendy Macdonald, Jodi Oakman) Occupational safety and health system management: the challenge of global diversity (Wendy Macdonald, Mike Moore)

OHS 'Body of Knowledge' (BoK)project

Funded by a grant from WorkSafe Victoria to the Health & Safety Professionals Alliance (HaSPA – see WorkSafe web site) Work is being conducted by the HaSPA BoK Technical Panel, on which La Trobe University is represented by Wendy Macdonald and Jodi Oakman.

Higher Degree Research Student with topic in this area: Mike Moore – PhD: Functionality of OHS management systems

Higher Degree Thesis Supervisors of the above student: Wendy Macdonald, Owen Evans

Road Safety – 'human factors' issues

Current research grants

Managing older driver safe mobility: an international collaboration. ARC Linkages project – based at MUARC (LTU Chief Investigators: Marilyn Di Stefano, Wendy Macdonald) Intelligent transport system to improve safety AutoCRC project, based at LTU Centre for Technology Infusion (CTI) (Wendy Macdonald is a Chief Investigator – one of 5 at LTU)

Higher Degree Research Students with driving-related topics: Teal Evans – PhD: Development of hazard and risk perception skills in young drivers Higher Degree Thesis Supervisors of the above students: Wendy Macdonald

Other research: Older drivers’ performance issues and assessment methods – Wendy Macdonald and Marilyn Di Stefano: includes some collaborations with the Driver Research/Education Unit, School of Occupational Therapy.