1st Edition
Ergonomics in Developing Regions Needs and Applications
Industrially developing countries have the largest populations, the highest levels of poverty, poor health, and illiteracy, and the greatest need for improvement in working conditions. And as the marketplace and the workforce goes increasingly global, accountability with regard to the abuse of cheap labor in developing countries is becoming an issue. Presenting a global view of the state of ergonomics in industrially developing countries (IDCs), Ergonomics in Developing Regions: Needs and Applications identifies problems, offers solutions, and explores costs and benefits. It defines the steps that can be taken to close the gap between working conditions in affluent and deprived nations.
The book highlights the plight of millions of laborers and the poor working conditions pertaining to industrially less developed countries where the working environment mirrors the socio-economic deprivation of the people. Woven throughout the 34 chapters of this book is the tenet that good ergonomics is good economics. The chapters include examples of low-cost interventions at the work place in IDCs. The contributors discuss the ripple effect of ergonomics beyond the workplace to the betterment of life in general for the huge workforce in IDCs around the world. They focus on work-site problems and ergonomic solutions in developing regions around the globe, covering work conducted in Asia, Africa, South America, Russia, and China.
Examining the factors unique to IDCs, leading ergonomists provide insights as to how sustainable progress is achievable in the developing world. They demonstrate the need for a more inclusive macro approach, citing managerial input essential for sustainable progress. With a panel of authors that reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the field, this book chronicles the nuances of differences in aim, practice, and outcome when ergonomists tackle Developing World problems from a Developing World perspective.
Distinctive Requirements of Developing Regions
The Development of, and the Need for, Ergonomics in Industrially Developing Countries, P.A. Scott
Human Factors and Ergonomics in Industrially Developing Countries: Necessity and Contribution, K.J. Zink
Ergonomics, Safety and Health in IDCs: A Needed Multilevel Interdisciplinary Approach, M.J. Brunette and M.T. Ibarra Santa Ana
Participatory Approaches
Ergonomics Intervention in Industrially Developing Countries, H. Shahnavaz
Participatory Ergonomics Training for Networking Farmers, T. Kawakami and T.T. Khai
The Practice of Ergonomics in the South of Brazil from a Sociotechnical Perspective, L. Buarque de Macedo Guimarães
Ergonomics Education in Industrially Developing Countries, E.-C. Lønnroth
Participatory Ergonomics: A Case Study Implementing an Ergonomics Program in a Specific Brazilian Company, M.M. Soares
Diverse Ramifications
Ergonomics of Technology Transfer, H. Shahnavaz
Ergonomics Issues in Transport, D.H. O’Neill
Distinctive Ergonomics Requirements of Developing Regions: Economic Costs and Benefits, A.I. Todd
Vulnerable Populations in IACs, D. Moore
Application in Specific Industries
Vibration Characteristics of Tractors and Power-Tillers: An Ergonomics Perspective, V.M. Salokhe, M.D. Gholkar, P. Soni, and H. Nakashima
The Contribution of Ergonomics to the Forestry Industry in Developing Countries, C.J. Christie, F. Meyer, G. James, and E. Apud
Ergonomics in the Carpet-Weaving Industry in Iran, M. Motamedzade
Nonfatal Accident Analyses in the Textile Industry in India, P.K. Nag, A. Nag, and H. Vyas
Below the Surface of Practical Application of Ergonomics in Mining, P.C. Schutte and J.P. James
Women in Indian Agriculture, L.P. Gite
Ergonomics in Construction, Specifi cally in IDCs, R.A. Rwamamara and J.J. Smallwood
Keeping the Wheels Turning: Practical Application of Ergonomics in the Automotive Industry, J.P. James and G. James
Regional Experiences: How Needs Are Being Addressed Universally
Assessing Available Resources to Meet Ergonomics Needs in the Subregions of West and Central Africa, S. Adaramola
Ergonomics in South Africa, and beyond the Borders, J.P. James and P.A. Scott
Overview of Ergonomics in Latin America, M.M. Soares
Ergonomics in Chile, E. Apud and F. Meyer
Ergonomics in the People’s Republic of China, P.-L.P. Rau and T.B. Leamon
Growth of Ergonomics in India, A.K. Ganguli
Development of Ergonomics in Iran, M. Motamedzade
Ergonomics in Russia, A.N. Anokhin
Experiences in Ergonomics Action Programs for Industry and Agriculture in Asia, K. Kogi
Insights and Reflections from Ergonomists around the Globe
Times Remembered: Reflections on the Postgraduate Program in Ergonomics at the University of Cape Town 1983–1999, R.S. Bridger
Starting a New Cottage Industry Factory in the Philippines, H.W. Hendrick
Experience of Teaching and Researching Ergonomics in Germany and in South Africa, M. Goebel
Managing Low Back Pain Risk in Industrially Developing Countries, W.S. Marras
Sustainability: An Ergonomics Watchword for the Twenty-First Century, P.A. Scott
Index
Biography
Patricia A. Scott
"… brings together accomplished IDC ergonomists with expertise in diverse areas around the globe to report on distinctive situations and requirements in developing arenas, and it points out the dire consequences of not addressing those needs effectively. Research projects and practical illustrations demonstrate the benefits of basic ergonomic interventions in diverse situations and acknowledge the shortage of ergonomists in all developing regions."
— ergonomics in design, October 2012
