Category: inclusive development process of workplace

Smart Digital Systems for All: Elevating Ergonomics & Human Factors in Inclusive OSH

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

As one of the official partners of EU-OSHA’s Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2023-2025, the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) applauds the latest EU-OSHA insight: “Smart digital systems for all: Supporting inclusion and diversity in workplace safety and health.”

Smart digital systems are not just about new technology — they are about inclusive design, usability, and human factors. According to EU-OSHA, these systems can be transformational in making workplaces safer, healthier, and more accessible, especially for older workers, migrant workers, pregnant workers, and others whose needs have often been overlooked.

From a human factors and ergonomics (E/HF) standpoint, these are the key contributions:

  • User-centred design: Smart wearables, sensors, and adaptive systems must respond to human variability – body size, mobility, cognitive load, language, and cultural background.
  • Reducing ergonomic risk: These systems can monitor posture, fatigue, and environmental stressors and help prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
  • Enhancing accessibility and diversity: When inclusivity is built in—considering older workers, pregnant staff, those with reduced mobility or sensory differences—the digital workplace becomes equitable.

But smart systems are effective only if implemented with respect to some human factors principles:

  • Worker involvement & acceptance: Involving workers and their representatives in design, deployment, and ongoing feedback builds trust, improves usability, and shapes systems that fit actual work practices.
  • Transparency and data ethics: Clear communication on data collection, storage, privacy, and how the system will be used ensures psychological safety and reduces resistance.
  • Complementarity to traditional OSH and ergonomics measures: These digital tools should augment—not replace—ergonomic workstation design, training, and organisational safety culture.

FEES encourages ergonomists, occupational health professionals, policy-makers, employers, and researchers to draw on EU-OSHA’s resources to guide inclusive implementations.

Together, we can ensure digital transformation in OSH reflects human factors and ergonomics values: promoting safety, well-being, inclusion, and dignity for every worker.

👉 Read more on EU-OSHA: Smart Digital Systems for All: Supporting inclusion and diversity in workplace safety and health. Healthy Workplaces

Ergonomics and Human Factors at the Centre of the Digital Transformation

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

As an official partner of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES) proudly supports the 2023–2025 Healthy Workplaces Campaign: Safe and healthy work in the digital age. This initiative highlights the growing role of smart digital systems in improving occupational safety and health (OSH) across Europe.

From an ergonomics and human factors perspective, smart digital technologies—such as wearable devices, sensor networks, AI-driven analytics, and virtual reality training platforms—have significant potential to enhance workplace safety, health, and well-being. These tools enable early identification of ergonomic risks, provide real-time data on physical strain and environmental hazards, and support timely interventions. They are especially valuable in high-risk industries and for vulnerable worker groups, including older employees and those with specific health conditions.

However, digital systems must be implemented according to user-centred design principles to be practical and ethically sound. FEES stresses the importance of involving workers and their representatives in designing, deploying, and monitoring these technologies. Transparent communication, responsible data management, and training are essential to building trust and acceptance. When workers understand and influence digital tools, safety, satisfaction, and engagement improve significantly.

At the same time, we must remain vigilant about the challenges posed by digitalisation. Over-reliance on automation, excessive monitoring, lack of usability, and insufficient training can lead to new psychosocial risks such as stress, cognitive overload, and mental fatigue. Smart systems should always complement, not replace, traditional OSH strategies like ergonomic workplace design, inclusive organisational policies, and direct human support.

As FEES, we advocate for integrating digital innovation with ergonomic principles to create safe, inclusive, and sustainable workplaces. We call on our member societies, researchers, practitioners, and partners to actively contribute to this campaign by sharing knowledge, good practices, and critical reflections on the human-centred use of smart technologies in OSH.

International Conference on Safety and Innovation

Gyula Szabo Leave a comment

We are pleased to announce the International Conference on Safety and Innovation, organized by INAIL in collaboration with the ISSA Section Machine and System Safety. The event will be held from March 11th – 13th, 2025, at INAIL, Piazzale Giulio Pastore 6, Roma.

The conference will focus on the following key topics:

  • Innovative Technologies for Safety: Exploring cutting-edge technologies designed to enhance safety in the workplace. We invite papers discussing new solutions that improve safety during work activities or reduce risks through design innovations.
  • Safety of Innovative Products: Examining the safety aspects of new technologies integrated into products such as machinery, plants, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Submissions should address how these innovations comply with safety regulations and identify gaps in standardization.
  • Innovative Systems for Specialist Training: Evaluating new training systems, including virtual, augmented, and mixed reality tools. We seek papers that analyze these technologies’ effectiveness compared to traditional training methods and discuss various national protocols and guidelines.
  • Workspace Safety: Addressing the design of workspaces to ensure safe working conditions. We welcome papers that present innovative design solutions and examine how workspace design influences worker behaviour and skills.
  • Safety of Living Environments and Human Settlements: Investigating methods for detecting and mitigating pollution and predictive control of structures and facilities to prevent widespread risks. Papers should focus on innovative techniques for monitoring and controlling human settlements and living environments.
  • Systems for Inclusive Safety: Focusing on creating inclusive safety systems that accommodate diverse needs, including gender differences, an ageing population, and disabilities. We encourage papers that explore technical solutions and design strategies for tools, equipment, and training that promote safety and inclusion in the workplace.

The first deadline for abstract submissions is August 30th, 2024. For further information on the topics and the Call for Papers, please visit INAIL’s event page.

COMBINING THE EXPERTISE OF WORKERS WITH OBJECTIVE MEASURES

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Veli-Matti Tuure
www.tts.fi

COMBINING-THE-EXPERTISE-OF-WORKERS-WITH-OBJECTIVE-MEASURESDownload

About ERGONOMICS PRACTICE EXAMPLES

The field of practice of professional ergonomists is very wide and covers all aspects concerning the health, well-being and productivity of people at work. Some ergonomic interventions concentrate on designing workplaces so that the work can be done comfortably and safely over a long period. Others look at the safety and ease of use of tools and computer interfaces. Others look at the organization of work systems to optimize workflow and avoid errors.

These papers do not cover all the areas of ergonomics practice, but they may be helpful for people looking for examples of how a professional ergonomist provides solutions for companies wanting to improve the efficiency of their workers without decreasing their safety, health, or well-being.

CONTRIBUTORS

The examples published here were contributed by European Ergonomists and reviewed by representatives from the Centre for Registration of European Ergonomics (CREE) and by the Federation of European Ergonomics Societies (FEES).

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If you are a certified ergonomist and wish to contribute, please get in touch with a member of the executive board of CREE or FEES. Contributions are welcome, and no fee is charged.

More ERGONOMICS PRACTICE EXAMPLES