Operations and safety don’t always speak the same language, not because operations isn’t committed to keeping people safe at work or safety isn’t concerned with meeting operational goals, but rather because each area has its own methods, processes, and measures. This communication gap can increase when ergonomics is added to the mix.

Ergonomics is often part of the environmental, health, and safety (EHS) function, but ergonomics differs from other areas of EHS. In many cases, EHS is focused on unlikely events with severe or even catastrophic outcomes. As a result, EHS typically has regulations and standards that must be met to mitigate these hazards.

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