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Volume 13, Issue 1 (Iranian Journal of Ergonomics 2025)
Iran J Ergon 2025, 13(1): 28-37 |
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Dastranj F, Mohammadi A, Sadeghi Naeini H, Nikoomaram H, Azizinezhad R. Application of Participatory Ergonomics Principles as a Strategy for Sustainable Environmental Management. Iran J Ergon 2025; 13 (1) :28-37
URL: http://journal.iehfs.ir/article-1-1080-en.html
URL: http://journal.iehfs.ir/article-1-1080-en.html
Farahnaz Dastranj1 
, Ali Mohammadi *2 , Hassan Sadeghi Naeini3 , Hanieh Nikoomaram1 , Reza Azizinezhad4
, Ali Mohammadi *2 , Hassan Sadeghi Naeini3 , Hanieh Nikoomaram1 , Reza Azizinezhad4
1- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,ali.mohammadi@srbiau.ac.ir
3- Industrial Design Department, School of Architecture and Urban Studies, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Agricultural Science and Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Natural Resources and Environment, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran ,
3- Industrial Design Department, School of Architecture and Urban Studies, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran
4- Department of Agricultural Science and Engineering, SR.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1498 Views)
Objectives: Participatory ergonomics, with its focus on the active involvement of stakeholders in designing and improving work systems, can be proposed as a key strategy for sustainable environmental management. The present study aimed to explore the mechanisms of integrating ergonomic principles and employee participation to elucidate how environmental sustainability can be achieved in workplace settings.
Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted in the Iranian automotive industry. The participatory ergonomics program involved a 14-member expert team through weekly sessions consisting of two hours of theoretical training and one hour of practical application over three months. The primary objectives of the program encompassed comprehensive training on ergonomics checkpoints established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), integration of ergonomic principles with environmental sustainability considerations, and development of practical competencies to implement acquired knowledge in actual workplace environments.
Results: Following the completion of the participatory ergonomics program and a thorough assessment of workplace issues, the ergonomics team successfully developed fifty practical recommendations, 20% of which addressed environmental concerns. Through six months of sustained collaboration between workers and management support, ten of the proposed recommendations were implemented.
Conclusion: The application of participatory ergonomics principles, emphasizing stakeholder engagement in work system design, can serve as a pivotal strategy for sustainable environmental management. This approach not only enhances employees' physical and psychological well-being but also establishes an inseparable connection between technology, humans, and the environment by reducing occupational stress and natural resource consumption. Undoubtedly, interdisciplinary research in ergonomics and environmental sustainability can play a strategic role in achieving balanced development for future generations.
Methods: The present descriptive-analytical study was conducted in the Iranian automotive industry. The participatory ergonomics program involved a 14-member expert team through weekly sessions consisting of two hours of theoretical training and one hour of practical application over three months. The primary objectives of the program encompassed comprehensive training on ergonomics checkpoints established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), integration of ergonomic principles with environmental sustainability considerations, and development of practical competencies to implement acquired knowledge in actual workplace environments.
Results: Following the completion of the participatory ergonomics program and a thorough assessment of workplace issues, the ergonomics team successfully developed fifty practical recommendations, 20% of which addressed environmental concerns. Through six months of sustained collaboration between workers and management support, ten of the proposed recommendations were implemented.
Conclusion: The application of participatory ergonomics principles, emphasizing stakeholder engagement in work system design, can serve as a pivotal strategy for sustainable environmental management. This approach not only enhances employees' physical and psychological well-being but also establishes an inseparable connection between technology, humans, and the environment by reducing occupational stress and natural resource consumption. Undoubtedly, interdisciplinary research in ergonomics and environmental sustainability can play a strategic role in achieving balanced development for future generations.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Macro Ergonomics and Participatory Ergonomics
Received: 2025/03/15 | Accepted: 2025/05/29 | ePublished: 2025/05/31
Received: 2025/03/15 | Accepted: 2025/05/29 | ePublished: 2025/05/31
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