Ergonomic analysis in lean manufacturing and industry 4.0—A systematic review

Abstract

In 2015, the UN defined well-being and decent work/economic growth as two of 17 sustainable development objectives. Nevertheless, the extreme pressure for businesses to be competitive in their markets of choice seems to be having a negative effect on workers’ well-being. In the manufacturing sector, the effective inclusion of Ergonomics in processes and installations has been proven to decrease costs related to disability, extra or overtime hours, medical care and premiums or fines for occurrences. The aim of this work was to review the existing scientific knowledge about the impact of adopting LPS (Lean Production Systems—a model used to increase competitiveness by the creation of more value for customers with fewer resources) in manufacturing companies from the point of view of Ergonomics. It reports, based on the literature reviewed, how the integration of both LPS and Ergonomics principles, from the workstation design phase onwards, can bring benefits to the workers’ welfare and simultaneously potentiate improvements in productivity. This paper also intends to present trends and opportunities for future research in this area, including in the Industry 4.0 field. In the authors’ opinion, this paper is a valuable contribution for practitioners, in manufacturing environments, and researchers.