ABSTRACT

Safety does not only depend on methods of work of a relatively simple ergonomic design (Tytyk 2001), but also on production procedures aimed at increased resistance to interference (Mrugalska & Kawecka-Endler 2012). Studies also show that the third generation ergonomics called macroergonomics (Pacholski 2000, Jasiak & Misztal 2004), which is associated with quality management processes taking place in modern companies (Gołaś & Mazur 2008), may allow for the achievement of significant improvements in safety by improving performance and obtaining a “safety culture” (Kleiner 1999). The need for a methodical-ergonomic approach results from the fact that by modifying the workplace, in order to improve the safety conditions, some tools are used, which at the same time change the current functioning conditions and along with the positive effect of increased safety within a specified dimension may inadvertently have a negative impact on work safety (usually in another area or dimension). It is therefore necessary to create appropriate strategies to use technical objects, in which the assessment of the final effects will refer to the human factor, and not stop just at the efficiency of the device. This strategy, however, must be consistent with other dimensions of business excellence such as maintenance, quality, environment, and logistics (Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek 2012) and also have financial justification, because an investment in safety also has to pay off (LópezAlonso 2013). It is therefore necessary to apply a methodological approach to the problem of safety that can be effectively based on ergonomic principles and can achieve maximum effects.