Abstract:
In the current economic environment, organisational performance and competitive advantage are derived from workers’ health and safety in the workplace. Ergonomics is the science that aims to ensure the best environment and work conditions in an organisation, and to optimise the work process, at the same time. In order to identify the necessity of ergonomics in an organisation, it is required to identify operational issues and occupational risks. Occupational health and safety is a core element for organisational efficiency and it is compulsory across industries (there are specific regulation at national and international levels). When occupational risks are identified, ergonomists apply an ergonomics intervention for the respective workplace/organisation in order to achieve safety, health, efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, an ergonomics intervention becomes the main source for operational improvement and compliance with applicable regulation in occupational health and safety domain. The paper aims to identify the legal framework and major means of ergonomics interventions. At the same time, authors analysed potential ergonomics intervention for utilitarian alpinism, an activity renowned for its high risk level. Interventions are based on a risk assessment made by the authors using a Romanian risk assessment method developed by the National Institute for Research and Development for Occupational Safety (INCDPM). A key finding of the paper is that ergonomics intervention is strongly connected with occupational risk assessment, as the latter highlights issues and risks related to occupational health and safety in the organisation.
