Production Ergonomics: Designing Work Systems To Support Optimal Human Performance

Description

Production ergonomics – the science and practice of designing industrial workplaces to optimize human well-being and system performance – is a complex challenge for a designer. Humans are a valuable and flexible resource in any system of creation, and as long as they stay healthy, alert and motivated, they perform well and also become more competent over time, which increases their value as a resource. However, if a system designer is not mindful or aware of the many threats to health and system performance that may emerge, the end result may include inefficiency, productivity losses, low working morale, injuries and sick-leave. To help budding system designers and production engineers tackle these design challenges holistically, this book offers a multi-faceted orientation in the prerequisites for healthy and effective human work. We will cover physical, cognitive and organizational aspects of ergonomics, and provide both the individual human perspective and that of groups and populations, ending up with a look at global challenges that require workplaces to become more socially and economically sustainable. This book is written to give you a warm welcome to the subject, and to provide a solid foundation for improving industrial workplaces to attract and retain healthy and productive staff in the long run. Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgements Preface Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1. What is ergonomics/human factors? 1.2. The purpose of production ergonomics 1.3. Historical development of ergonomics and human factors 1.4. How are ergonomics and human factors connected to engineering? 1.5. What’s in this book? 1.6. Different engineering roles act on different types of knowledge 1.7. References Part 1 Understanding the Human in the System Chapter 2 Basic Anatomy and Physiology 2.1. Musculo-skeletal disorders 2.2. How big is the problem? 2.3. The musculo-skeletal system 2.4. The muscles 2.5. The skeletal system 2.6. Joints 2.7. Injuries and healing 2.8. Movements 2.9. Musculo-skeletal complexes 2.10. The back 2.11. The neck 2.12. The shoulders 2.13. The hands 2.14. References Chapter 3 Physical Loading 3.1. The components of physical loading 3.2. Posture 3.3. Force 3.4. Time 3.5. Interaction of posture, forces and time 3.6. Other factors influencing physical loading 3.7. Biomechanics 3.8. Applying mechanics to the human body 3.9. References Chapter 4 Anthropometry 4.2. Terminology 4.3. Static (structural) measurements 4.4. Dynamic (functional) measurements 4.5. Normal distribution and percentiles 4.6. Correlations 4.7. Multivariate design 4.8. Variation 4.9. Methods for measuring body dimensions 4.10. Anthropometric datasets 4.11. Design principles 4.12. Designing for the extremes 4.13. Designing for adjustability 4.14. Designing work heights 4.15. References Chapter 5 Cognitive Ergonomics 5.1. What cognitive limitations exist in the workplace? 5.2. Human capabilities and limitations 5.3. The senses 5.4. Human cognitive processes 5.5. The role of expertise: The SRK model and types of mistakes 5.6. Mental workload 5.7. Designing to support human mental capabilities 5.8. Cognitive ergonomics supports used in industrial production 5.9. Design for Assembly 5.10. The use of fixtures 5.11. Kitting 5.12. Standardized work 5.13. Work instructions 5.14. Poka yoke 5.15. References Chapter 6 Psychosocial Factors and Worker Involvement 6.1. Macroergonomics 6.2. Psychosocial environment 6.3. Positive and negative stress 6.4. Boredom 6.5. Motivation 6.6. Psychosocial factors coupled to tasks 6.7. Demand-control-support model 6.8. Participatory ergonomics 6.9. A process for participatory design 6.10. Using models of the design solution 6.11. References Part 2 Engineering the System around Humans Chapter 7 Data Collection and Task Analysis 7.1. Data collection involving humans 7.2. Data collection approaches 7.3. Carrying out a research study involving humans 7.4. Task breakdowns 7.5. Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) 7.6. Tabular task analysis (TTA) 7.7. References Chapter 8 Ergonomics Evaluation Methods 8.1. Heuristic evaluation (HE) 8.2. Methods for evaluating physical loading 8.3. Posture-based analysis 8.4. Biomechanics-based analysis 8.5. Multi-aspect methods 8.6. Standards, legal provisions and guidelines 8.7. Example: Swedish AFS provisions 8.8. References Chapter 9 Digital Human Modeling 9.1. Ergonomic simulation 9.2. Computer manikins 9.3. Manipulation of manikins 9.4. Analysis tools 9.5. References Chapter 10 Manual Materials Handling 10.1. Function of manual materials handling 10.2. Issues and risks arising from poorly designed MMH systems 10.3. Different types of MMH 10.4. Line stocking 10.5. Batching 10.6. Sequencing 10.7. Kitting 10.8. Workstation design principles 10.9. Working height considerations 10.10. Storage container considerations 10.11. References Chapter 11 The Economics of Ergonomics 11.1. Proactive or reactive approaches to ergonomics investments 11.2. Individual costs 11.3. Company costs 11.4. Societal costs 11.5. Solving the problem 11.6. Building awareness 11.7. Cost calculations 11.8. Case studies of ergonomics interventions 11.9. Tools and calculation methods 11.10. Special case: a model for calculation of poor assembly ergonomics costs 11.11. Convincing the necessary people 11.12. The power to implement change 11.13. References Chapter 12 Work Environmental Factors 12.1. The human body in different environments 12.2. Occupational (or Industrial) Hygiene 12.3. Thermal climate 12.4. Thermal exposure risks 12.5. Heat 12.6. Cold 12.7. Assessing climate 12.8. Clothing 12.9. Lighting 12.10. Photometry 12.11. Measuring light parameters 12.12. Lighting regulations 12.14. Sound and noise 12.15. Effects of noise 12.16. Measuring sound 12.17. Hearing protection 12.18. Vibrations 12.19. Whole Body Vibrations 12.20. Hand/arm vibration 12.21. Radiation 12.22. References Chapter 13 Social Sustainability 13.1. Upcoming societal challenges 13.2. Sustainability concepts 13.3. The ecosystem of social sustainability 13.4. Social sustainability for work and workplace design 13.5. Design for social sustainability 13.6. References Part 3 Workplace Design Guidelines Design for the human body Design of hand tools Design for anthropometry Design for cognitive support Design for psychosocial health and worker involvement Design for good vision Design for thermal climate Design for materials handling Design for healthy sound environments Design to minimize whole-body vibration risk Design to minimize hand-arm vibration risk Design for social sustainability Notes for Teachers Answer Guide to Study Questions