Abstract

Sustainability, efficiency and productivity of the operational working system of any nation’s industrial sector are crucial benefits ergonomics offer in all work settings through enhancing safe work environment and minimizing human errors. Knowledge, awareness and understanding of worker’s interaction with the system of one’s working environment as it applies to the person’s profession and work processes for the general safety, efficiency and well-being, constitute the first step to reduction of work-related injuries. Knowledge and awareness of of the role of ergonomics in engineering real-world of work environment for productivity, accident reduction and personnel’s work life preservation was assessed among engineering students undergoing occupational training in a Nigeria based Polytechnic (Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos). The research tool used for data collection was a self-developed questionnaire adopted after being subjected to reliability test and validation. The same was administered to the participants on individual contact with the researcher in the months of September through to November, 2016. The participants comprise engineering students (N = 287) who were randomly selected from seven (7) Engineering Departments available in the school of industrial and manufacturing engineering in the institution. Analysed data showed that 81.20% of the study participants have no knowledge and awareness of what ergonomics is all about, its benefits and applications in the field of engineering. Therefore, if the professional demands in engineering real-world of work must be achieved, adoption of ergonomics training aspect in the professional work preparation process of engineering students is a necessity