With the increasing number of machines in mining operations, control design is becoming more important to the mining industry. Controls must be designed so that the user can easily identify the control and easily use it to perform the task. If the controls are not designed with the end user in mind, musculoskeletal problems can develop stemmed from control usage. Also, the design must take into account that mining is a tough industry. Controls must be able to withstand the grueling production schedule and be able to perform in dirty or dusty circumstances.

The work in this topic area is supported by the NIOSH Mining Ergonomics program. See the NIOSH Mining Products page for software, guides, training materials or other items related to this topic.