The Ergonomics Pyramid

Ergonomics, a multi-disciplinary science, which deals with study of men, machine and work environment is being intensively promoted and implemented at Tata Steel. While it allows employees to achieve optimal performance, it ensures that this is done without causing any physiological and psychological discomfort.

The focus areas of Ergonomics at Tata Steel are seating and posture related areas such as mobile vehicles, cranes, control pulpits and cabins, the computer workstations, maintenance workbench and executive chairs. It also includes various tools used in operations and maintenance, manual tasks and the general ambience at the workplace.

Changes at Tata Steel

The first sign of an inappropriate posture and workplace, according to the pyramid of problems in Ergonomics, is fatigue, tiredness, uneasiness and discomfort, which are considered "normal" after a full day’s work. Then come soreness, pain, persistent pains and aches, which affect well-being and performance. At the tip of the pyramid or the final state is disability. However, many of us live with the intervening stages and ignore the obvious. An "ergo" eye and a well designed workplace can change a lot of that, as has been done in many areas in Tata Steel.

These include safe vertical platforms for the mechanical staff who build vertical stands - the result has been better employee morale and less time taken to build stands; modification of circuits to replace limit switches with easily accessible and adjustable Seimens electronic timers; operator fatigue at the 7.5 T cold-draw bench of PT Mill has been eliminated and efficiency improved with the use of a pneumatically operated trolley rather than the practice of them manually gripping tubes; there has also been a drastic reduction in the intervertebral disc pressure of flash welders with a more ergonomically designed workplace for them.

The objective of this effort is to enhance effectiveness and efficiency at the workplace by bringing about increased convenience of use, reduced errors and increased productivity. It has at the same time brought about improved user safety, comfort and satisfaction, reduced fatigue and stress, provided better job satisfaction and an improved quality of life for the employees of the company.