Application of Participative Ergonomics in a Manufacturing Plant in the Health Area in Brazil

The applications of ergonomics have been commonly unidirectional, superficial and with interventions that are not very close to the reality of processes and people’s commitment. The objective of this study is to report on the development and implementation of participatory method aimed at understanding production process, recognizing risks linked to ergonomic factors and developing an action plan in the manufacture of heart valves. Participatory ergonomics can be understood as the involvement of people in the planning and control of a significant amount of their own activities, with sufficient knowledge and power to influence both processes and results in order to achieve desirable objectives. Four methods were developed and applied that allowed the awareness, engagement and effective participation of the different hierarchical and technical levels of the company. The work carried out resulted in 132 items in the action plan, 25% of which were solved even before the end of all analyzes. This advance was possible due to the participatory approach that allowed knowledge, involvement and empowerment of people to implement the required actions.