Development of a scoring methodology for ergonomic risk assessment in the workplace

This paper presents a scoring methodology for assessing ergonomic risks. The proposed methodology consists of three main phases: (1) identifying ergonomic risk factors, (2) defining ergonomic risk scores, and (3) calculating and prioritizing ergonomic risks. In the first phase, the main factors that can cause ergonomic risks are identified based on process and task mapping techniques. In the second phase, score levels are defined for each ergonomic risk factor based on the ergonomic standards developed by different organizations and researchers. In the third phase, current ergonomic risks in the workplace are calculated and prioritized so that the high risks can be mitigated by implementing proper action plans. The proposed methodology helps decision makers evaluate and assess ergonomic risks in an easy way. A case study from a manufacturing environment is presented. Results showed that the proposed method can be used as a basis for identifying ergonomic risks and developing effective mitigation and control plans for these risks.