Ergonomics and industrial hygiene: a complementary relationship

This paper examines the nature and scope of ergonomics in relation to the practice of industrial hygiene. It demonstrates that ergonomics is an independent and broadly based discipline, the work of which is complementary to industrial hygiene and not in competition with it. Whereas the industrial hygienist is primarily concerned with the habitability of the working environment and its compatibility with the health and safety of the worker, the ergonomist is primarily concerned with design for human use and the optimization of human performance at work and in adverse environments.