Background and Objectives: Participatory ergonomics, with its focus on the active involvement of stakeholders in designing and improving work systems, can be proposed as a key strategy for sustainable environmental management. This study aims to explore the mechanisms of integrating ergonomic principles and employee participation to elucidate how environmental sustainability can be achieved in workplace settings.
Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in an Iranian automotive industry. The participatory ergonomics program involved a 14-member expert team through weekly sessions consisting of two hours of theoretical training and one hour of practical application over a three-month period. The primary objectives of the program encompassed comprehensive training on ergonomics checkpoints established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), integration of ergonomic principles with environmental sustainability considerations, and development of practical competencies to implement acquired knowledge in actual workplace environments.
Results: Following the completion of the participatory ergonomics program and a thorough assessment of workplace issues, the ergonomics team successfully developed fifty practical recommendations, 20% of which addressed environmental concerns. Through six months of sustained collaboration between workers and management support, ten of the proposed recommendations were implemented.
Conclusion: The application of participatory ergonomics principles, with its emphasis on stakeholder engagement in work system design, can serve as a pivotal strategy for sustainable environmental management. This approach not only enhances the physical and psychological well-being of employees but also establishes an inseparable connection between technology, humans, and the environment through reducing occupational stress and natural resource consumption. Undoubtedly, interdisciplinary research in ergonomics and environmental sustainability can play a strategic role in achieving balanced development for future generations.