Nowadays, organizations must comply with high-quality standards, health and safety regulations, and socially sustainable practices to succeed in a globalized world. Supply Chains (SC) enable them to satisfy their customers' needs for quality products just in time and at the best price. However, management systems (MS) need to be improved to identify, evaluate, and control ergonomic risks, which opens a research opportunity for Ergonomics Management Systems (EMS) as they apply to sustainable SCs. This study aims to design and validate an instrument to assess the EMS within a SC using a continuous improvement approach. The study used convenience sampling as experts were invited by e-mail, at congresses, and through a digital platform. A response rate of 6.2 % was obtained from the latter, and a total of 34 experts responded to the instrument. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were also carried out for the constructs of PLAN, DO, CHECK, and ACT. Finally, factors and variables were reduced by 42.71 %, leaving a 46-item final version of the instrument. Most of the structural model fit indices for the sample demonstrated good values, and the reliability indices were acceptable, this confirming the overall reliability of the instrument. In conclusion, the instrument was validated for all proposed constructs, with the exception of the PLAN construct. Thus, the instrument was found to be relevant and fit for implementation in EMS.

Organizations worldwide are moving towards sustainability in the supply chains (SCs). Ergonomics management (EM) in SCs can contribute to their social sustainability (SS) by providing a fair, safe, and healthy environment. The literature recognizes the lack of an ergonomics management evaluation model (EMEM) for SCs contributing to SS. This research aims to propose an EMEM applicable to SCs. A continuous improvement approach with five constructs: Plan, Do, Check, Act, and Leadership and Worker participation (L&WP) was conducted, including nineteen domains, and the axiomatic design methodology was deployed. Design ranges (DRs) were defined by 34 experts from Latin America. System ranges (SRs) were assessed by self-assessments of EM practices to obtain the information content axiom in one case study of the Mexican salt industry. A new ergonomics management index for the supply chain (EMISC) and a corresponding scale were implemented. According to this scale, the index was found to be low, indicating a poor ergonomics management index (EMI) for the supplier link across the nineteen domains. The proposed EMEM effectively obtains an EMI of the supply chain (SC) by link and entirely. The model identifies opportunities to improve ergonomics practices for companies participating in sustainable supply chains (SSC).

La Gestión de Ergonomía (GE) es un concepto en desarrollo y a la vez un proceso que se lleva a cabo en las empresas que integran las Cadenas de Suministro (CS), las cuales buscan evaluarla integral y holísticamente. Así, las prácticas de colaboración (PrC) son clave en la mejora de la eficiencia y productividad, así como en la prevención y evaluación de riesgos ergonómicos. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo determinar las mejores PrC en la CS para la GE. Para ello, se desarrolló una revisión de literatura, posteriormente se diseñó un cuestionario digital con preguntas tipo Likert sobre las PrC que fue respondido por un grupo de expertos de Latinoamérica. Finalmente, se realizó el análisis descriptivo. Como resultados, el cuestionario fue integrado por dos constructos (proveedores y clientes) y 12 ítems. El análisis de las respuestas de 34 expertos estableció que entre las mejores PrC están el compromiso gerencial, planificar y compartir experiencias de los factores de riesgo, de las acciones preventivas y de control entre las compañías. Así, estas prácticas permitirán la evaluación de la GE mediante el intercambio de información y la generación de conocimiento de ergonomía entre los miembros de la CS pueden contribuir a mejorar el desempeño y bienestar de los empleados.

The phrase ergonomics management is still a “work in process concept”. The modern approaches for quality, health, and safety management have been clarifying some domains and characteristics through models and standards; however, there is a research opportunity, especially for expanding the scope to evaluate entire supply chains. This chapter aims to conduct a systematic literature review of management systems and models to establish the fundamentals for designing an ergonomics management model for evaluating companies and the supply chain in which they participate. The PRISMA methodology was developed by key terms in the ScienceDirect, ProQuest, SpringerLink, and Emerald Insight databases during the period from 2010 to 2021. As a result, 39 articles complied with the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thus, three different management systems, three standards, and three management models were identified. The results were compared and organized to distinguish the main characteristics of an ergonomics oriented management approach. In conclusion, the ISO 45001 standard domains and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach were found pertinent and complemented by the leadership and employee participation model. Additionally, collaboration, cooperation, and coordination characteristics within the supply chain were suggested to be integrated into a new model.

En Ciudad Juárez, México, el servicio de transporte público carece de condiciones seguras atribuidas al estado de las calles, a las pobres condiciones de trabajo de los conductores y malas condiciones de los camiones. Esta investigación determina la frecuencia de eventos de violencia en el trabajo, las fuentes de carga mental de los conductores, así como las molestias musculoesqueléticas más frecuentes. La metodología cuenta con 6 fases. En las primeras se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica y se recolectaron evidencias de eventos de violencia en el trabajo experimentados por los conductores, su estado de salud, accidentes al año y condiciones de las unidades. En la cuarta fase, se implementaron los métodos de Marley y Kumar y NASA TLX. En las etapas finales se determinaron las principales fuentes y el nivel de carga mental, así como las molestias musculoesqueléticas. Se caracterizó a los 27 conductores por su edad, género y tipo de servicio médico. Entre las principales molestias se identificaron mano y muñeca derecha, la espalda baja/media, los ojos y la zona de glúteos. Se detectó que el 22% de los conductores presentaban carga mental alta, el 67% media y el 11% baja, donde la exigencia temporal y física fueron las fuentes de carga más relevantes. Todos los conductores presentaban molestias en alguna parte del cuerpo y algún nivel de carga mental de trabajo. Es necesario más estudios en esta profesión vulnerable por su impacto en la seguridad de los pasajeros, de terceros y de ellos mismos.