A Practical Framework for Integrating Advances in Ergonomics to Improve Productivity in South African Small and Medium Enterprises

This study provides a practical framework for integrating advances in ergonomics into South African small and medium enterprises to enhance productivity. Informed by a comprehensive literature review and insights from the 2025 Applied Ergonomics Conference, the proposed three-phase framework compris...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:South African Journal of Industrial Engineering Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 196 - 213
Main Authors: Mukalay, T. A., Swanepoel, J., Nenzhelele, T.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Bedfordview South African Institute of Industrial Engineers (SAIIE) 01.08.2025
South African Institute for Industrial Engineering
Subjects:
Absenteeism
Co-design
Costs
Economic growth
Employees
Ergonomics
GDP
Gross Domestic Product
Human error
Industrial safety
Innovations
Literature reviews
Productivity
Small & medium sized enterprises-SME
Task analysis
Technological change
Wearable technology
Workers
Working conditions
South Africa
ISSN:1012-277X, 2224-7890, 2224-7890
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study provides a practical framework for integrating advances in ergonomics into South African small and medium enterprises to enhance productivity. Informed by a comprehensive literature review and insights from the 2025 Applied Ergonomics Conference, the proposed three-phase framework comprises an ergonomics intervention trigger checklist and related productivity metrics; an integration matrix aligned with ISO 45001:2018 and ISO TR 12295:2014; and strategies to overcome adoption barriers. The framework incorporates participatory design, simplified assessment tools, and interventions such as wearable technologies. By addressing a gap in the research, this study offers a scalable, cost-effective framework that is tailored to the resource-constrained small and medium enterprises’ environment.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ISSN:1012-277X
2224-7890
2224-7890
DOI:10.7166/36-2-3226