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Advanced Ergonomics

Code: 103007 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Physiotherapy OT 4

Contact

Name:
Bernat Planas Pascual
Email:
bernat.planas@uab.cat

Teachers

Alejandro Ginés Puertas

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

The teaching team recommends having completed and passed the following subjects: anatomy, biomechanics, and public health.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Ergonomic assessment aims to identify musculoskeletal disorders, adapt the workplace and social environment, and promote prevention through the development of health promotion procedures.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Express ideas fluently, coherently and correctly, both orally and in writing.
  • Intervene in the areas of promotion, prevention, protection and recovery of health
  • Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
  • Solve problems.
  • Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
  • Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Adopt suitable preventive measures for avoiding injuries, thus promoting workplace health and comfort.
  2. Analyse a situation and identify its points for improvement.
  3. Communicate using language that is not sexist.
  4. Consider how gender stereotypes and roles impinge on the exercise of the profession.
  5. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures that govern the exercise of the profession.
  6. Express ideas fluently, coherently and correctly, both orally and in writing.
  7. Identify situations in which a change or improvement is needed.
  8. Identify the principal forms of sex- or gender-based inequality present in society.
  9. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities within one?s own area of knowledge.
  10. Propose new methods or well-founded alternative solutions.
  11. Propose new ways to measure success or failure when implementing innovative proposals or ideas.
  12. Propose projects and actions that incorporate the gender perspective.
  13. Propose ways to evaluate projects and actions for improving sustainability.
  14. Solve problems.
  15. Weigh up the impact of any long- or short-term difficulty, harm or discrimination that could be caused to certain persons or groups by the actions or projects.
  16. Weigh up the risks and opportunities of suggestions for improvement: one's own and those of others.

Content

Ergonomics is the application of postural hygiene in the workplace and social environment, taking into account the use of appropriate postures and movements, as well as the modification of the work environment to make it more favorable.

The course examines the necessary procedures to identify and develop the appropriate physiotherapeutic role, focusing on prevention and potential musculoskeletal disorders.

It includes the planning of procedures for health promotion.

Contents:

  • Introduction to ergonomics

  • Occupational health

  • Load and stress

  • Biomechanical models

  • Workplace and social environment

  • Ergonomic assessments

  • Ergonomics in the hospital setting


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
LABORATORY PRACTICES (PLAB) 13 0.52 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15
THEORY (TE) 25 1 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15
Type: Autonomous      
PERSONAL STUDY 46 1.84 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15
READING OF ARTICLES / REPORTS OF INTEREST 30 1.2
WORKING / READING OF ARTICLES / REPORTS OF INTEREST 32 1.28 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15

Master classes with practical sessions in the laboratory and ICT support with specialized seminars.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Objective tests of selection of multiple choice items 40% 2 0.08 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15
Resolution of clinical cases 25% 1 0.04 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15
Written assignment 35% 1 0.04 1, 5, 2, 3, 6, 9, 8, 7, 16, 13, 10, 11, 12, 14, 4, 15

Course Assessment

The assessment of this course is based on various components that evaluate both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the students.

The final grade distribution is as follows:

  • Clinical case submission (35%): This involves developing an ergonomic plan for a public entity, company, or similar organization. This component is key to demonstrating the ability to apply knowledge in a real and practical context.

  • Practical exam (25%): This includes the evaluation of theoretical and practical content taught in lectures and practical modules. Proper preparation is essential, as this exam reflects the student's understanding of the concepts.

  • Written exam (40%): This exam consists of multiple-choice questions with four options, of which only one is correct. Incorrect answers will incur a penalty of 25% of the value of a correct answer. A minimum score of 5 out of 10 is required to pass.

 

Assessment System

  • Attendance to at least 80% of directed activities (PLAB) is mandatory.

  • The clinical case must be passed with a minimum score of 5 out of 10 and accounts for 35% of the final grade.

  • The written exam, including the test, must also be passed with a minimum of 5 out of 10 and represents 40% of the final grade.

  • To obtain the final grade, all components must be passed with a minimum score of 5. If any component is failed, the final grade will be the lowest of the failed parts, even if the weighted average is above 5.

  • The final grade will be calculated as the weighted average of all components. If this average is below 5, it will be the final grade.

 

Specific Provisions

  • If any component is failed, the course will be considered failed, regardless of the overall average.

  • Attendance at all assessment activities is mandatory; missing any of them will disqualify the student from taking the resit.

  • Late submission, plagiarism, or the improper use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools will result in a grade of 0 for that activity, and consequently, the student will fail the course with no possibility of resit.

  • If the course is not passed, a resit of the failed components will be allowed, with a maximum score of 5.

  • To obtain an "Honours Distinction" (Matrícula de Honor), a final score of 9.5 or higher is required.

 

Single Assessment

Students choosing this option must consider the following:

  • The assessment components will be the same and carry the same weight as in continuous assessment.

  • All assessment tasks will take place on the same day, which will coincide with the official exam date according to the UAB academic calendar.

  • The same resit system as for continuous assessment will apply.

  • The procedure for reviewing the final grade will also be the same as in continuous assessment.

 

Note on the Use of AI Tools

The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT may be permitted as support, provided they are used ethically and transparently. Any AI-generated contribution must be clearly indicated in the work, either in the acknowledgements section or as a footnote. AI should not replace the student’s own reflective and critical work.

 


Bibliography

- Barette G., Decourcele O., Triadou P., Ergonomía, kinesitherapie et santé au travail, EMC, Paris, 2007.

- Bestratén Belloví M., Hernández Calleja A., Luna Mendaza P., Nogareda Cuixart C., Nogareda Cuixart S., Oncins De Frutos M., Solé Gómez MD., Ergonomía, Ed. Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene del Trabajo, Madrid, 4ª edición.

- Melo JL., Ergonomía pràctica. Guía para la evaluación ergonómica de un puesto de Trabajo, Ed. Fundación Mapfre, 1ª edición, Argentina, 2009

- Rubio JLL, Pellicer LL. Manual de ergonomía aplicada a la prevención de riesgos laborales. 2015.

- Notas Técnicas de Prevención - NTP - Portal INSST . Disponible en: https://www.insst.es/ntp-notas-tecnicas-de-prevencion


Software

No specific software is required


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 302 Catalan/Spanish second semester afternoon
(TE) Theory 301 Catalan/Spanish second semester afternoon