Ergonomic Resources

Resources listed on this page will be generally useful to people examining ergonomics problems.  People who have responsibility for safety, and for applying ergonomic solutions, will also benefit.

Victorian Code of Practice (Manual Handling) 2000: available on the Victorian WorkCover Authority website.  This most practical Code contains a quantity of useful information (including numerical analysis and assessment methods) for identifying problems, and for dealing with them systematically.  It also includes many useful illustrations, which can assist with in problem-solving.  The National equivalent is the Code of Practice – Hazardous Manual Tasks, available at the SafeWork Australia website.

Journals: check the Taylor and Francis (publishers) website for their very useful publications:

Ergonomics http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/tf/00140139.html

“Fitting the Task to the Man”: a classic practitioner’s handbook in ergonomics by Prof Etienne Grandjean (London: Taylor and Francis, fourth edition, 1988): available through the Technical Bookshop, Melbourne (03 9663 3951).  Updated version cited below.

“Peoplesize”: a Windows-based program of anthropometric (body sizing) information, handy in establishing workplace dimensions, layouts, tool sizes, etc.  Has a dataset for every percentile, not just 5th and 95^th, and is quickly accessible through a visual interface.  Published in the U.K. by Open Ergonomics Limited.

Further reading in ergonomics:

• Dul J and Weerdmeester B. Ergonomics for Beginners. A Quick Reference Guide. London, Taylor and Francis, 1993.
• Furnham A. The Psychology of Behaviour at Work. The Individual in the Organisation. Sussex, UK, Psychology Press, 1997.
• Kroemer K and Grandjean E. Fitting the Task to the Human. 5th edition, London, Taylor & Francis, 1997.
• Kuorinka I and Forcier L (eds). Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs): A Reference Book for Prevention. London, Taylor and Francis, 1995.
• Oxenburgh M. Increasing Productivity and Profit through Health and Safety. Sydney, CCH Australia Ltd, 1991.
• Pheasant S. Bodyspace. Anthropometry, Ergonomics and Design. London, Taylor and Francis, 1988.
• Pheasant S. Ergonomics, Work and Health. Basingstoke, UK, Macmillan Academic and Professional, 1991.
• Sanders M and McCormick E. Human Factors in Engineering and Design. New York, USA, McGraw Hill, 1993.
• Sydney Hospital Occupational Health and Safety Service. The Easy Guide to Office Safety and Ergonomics. Sydney, NSW, The Service, 1998.
• Williamson A. ”Managing Stress in the Workplace: Part I – Guidelines for the practitioner”. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 1994, 14:161-169.
• Williamson A. ”Managing stress in the workplace: Part II – The Scientific basis (knowledge base) for the guide”. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 1994, 14: 171-196.