Ergonomics for industrially developing countries: an alternative approach

The main focus of ergonomics is the improvement of working conditions and safety. Studies of workers in industrialized countries (ICs) have focused on subjects like occupational health, work physiology, biomechanics, design, and cognition. However, in industrially developing countries (IDCs), the characteristics and conditions of the worker and his workplace are different. This paper suggests an alternative approach to improve working conditions for ergonomists in industrially developing countries. Together with the ergonomic factors previously stated, this approach also considers the broader social and cultural context within which the worker and his workplace exist. The operator is regarded as a product of his socio-cultural environment. His work place (e.g. its ambience, organization, shopfloor conditions, and the state of technology) and his work practices (e.g. attitudes, behavior, ethics, and problem-solving abilities) are affected by societal conditions (like quality of training and education, technical infrastructure, and technical culture).