Ergonomics最新文献

The objective of this study was to determine the match level of school furniture with student dimensions and conduct a pilot study to examine practicality of a computer-aided ergonomic analysis software with a Motion Capture System (MoCap) for the purpose of improving school furniture design process in terms of determining optimum dimensions. The research involved measuring the anthropometric data of 218 voluntary primary school students in Mugla, Turkiye and the dimensions of the existing school desks they use. The compatibility between the students' anthropometry and the existing school desks were analysed by using reference equations. Computer-aided ergonomic analysis performed only for seat and desk height. Four virtual human model and ten different school desks in various dimensions were created and evaluated according to joint reaction forces and muscle activations in three different postures by using Anybody Modelling System (AMS). The results of compatibility level showed that there were significant incompatibilities between the students' anthropometry and the existing school desks, with 80% of seat heights and 96% of desk heights being too high. Overall, in order to assess the optimal school desk dimensions, ergonomic analyses provided data indicating reduced joint reaction forces and muscle activations within the musculoskeletal system for the seat and desk height dimensions determined using reference equations. Also, the findings from the ergonomic analysis revealed valuable information on how even minor dimensional modifications to school desks can affect the musculoskeletal system.Practitioner summary: The study examined the impact of simulating student-school desk matching in various sizes and postures within a virtual environment using computer-aided ergonomic analysis software. The analysis focused on specific local areas of the musculoskeletal system to determine optimum school desk dimensions. The results indicated that the software has a potential in facilitating school furniture design based on user's anthropometric measurements. However, a multidisciplinary team is required to make more detailed analysis.

This study aims to develop and implement an ergonomic intervention program at the workplace of knowledge workers, and to evaluate its impact on the reduction of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) and musculoskeletal symptoms. 84 workers were part of the study (mean age 43.2 ± 9.7 years). The intervention included training, delivery of a packaging of artificial tears, and adjustments in workstations. It was conducted intensively along 6 weeks. Data was collected on-site, with questionnaires administered pre-intervention, 2 months after, and 4 months after. Participants exhibited behavioural changes, especially in workplace adjustments and visual rest. By the intervention's end, over 90% had correctly adjusted screens and adopted appropriate postures, while 42.7% adhered to the 20x20x20 rule. CVS severity and prevalence decreased, but not significantly across the three time points. Significant improvements were observed in upper back and neck musculoskeletal symptoms at the end of workdays. Findings suggest that an ergonomic intervention program can benefit employees by reducing visual and musculoskeletal symptoms.

The shortfall of seafarers is a constant challenge in the shipping industry. With the development of the world economy and changes in employees' psychological indicators, seafarers' spiritual needs play an increasingly important role in their work intentions. This study proposed that seafarers' work values should be a useful explanation for the shortfall of seafarers. This study investigated the work values of seafarers (N = 368) and college students majoring in navigation technology and marine engineering (N = 322), as well as their relationships with participants' work intentions. The results showed that conservation and self-transcendence had positive influences on (quasi)seafarers' willingness to work onboard. The results also showed that participants' conservation and self-transcendence values decreased generation by generation. Accordingly, researchers and managers should pay enough attention to seafarers' work values. Maritime schools and shipping companies may incorporate work values into the processes of seafarers' recruitment, training and education, and performance management.

Supine postures are increasingly adopted in medical transport, long-duration flights, and other healthcare environments. This study is aimed to identify the effect of vibration direction and magnitude on the objective and subjective responses of the human body in a supine posture. The transmissibilities to the head, chest, abdomen, and thighs of 12 male subjects were measured with single-axis random vibrations in longitudinal (z axis), lateral (y axis), and vertical (x axis) direction at 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 ms^-2 r.m.s. Subjective discomfort was determined using the absolute magnitude estimation method. It was found factors of 1.0, 1.5 and 1.0 multiplying with the weighted r.m.s. of input accelerations in x, y, and z axes, respectively, can predict the discomfort. Alternatively, the unweighted acceleration measured at the body, such as at the chest, which was found to highly correlate with vibration discomfort, can be used to predict vibration discomfort of supine subjects.

This paper presents a constructive view of Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) and its implications regarding work, organisations and HFE interventions.

In contrast to a defensive approach to HFE, which would view work mostly as a source of constraints, and the role of HFE as reducing these constraints, the goal of constructive ergonomics is to eliminate obstacles hindering success and development and to maximise opportunities for acting and learning.

After having developed the concept and the methods of enabling interventions, as well as their consequences on the role of ergonomists, two enabling interventions are presented to illustrate the implementation of the constructive approach in real work settings.

The discussion advocates a conception of development as a fact, a means and a goal of HFE interventions, and emphasises the maieutic role of ergonomists.

Sitting time (ST) in the occupational domain has been linked to reduced wellbeing and quality-of-life. However, studies investigating the impact of reducing ST in these outcomes are scarce. An ancillary analysis using data from a RCT containing a 6-month sit-stand desk-based intervention, evaluated workers' changes in ST (objectively measured), and subjective wellbeing and quality-of-life. Two groups were created based on changes in ST. Independent and paired-sample T-tests were used to evaluate the differences between and within groups, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to evaluate the effects of ST reduction in the outcomes. Our analyses indicated that 13 participants out of 38 reduced ST (-72min/day [±40.0; p < 0.001], while 25 participants slightly reduced or increased ST (+36.7 min/day [±40.3; p < 0.001]). Both groups had an improvement in quality-of-life scores, but only those who reduced ST improved subjective wellbeing (p = 0.028). Despite these results, no time*group interaction was found.

The advantages of two-stage warnings have been validated. This study investigated how drivers' expectations of automated driving system capabilities and cognitive load affect their attention allocation and takeover performance when using a two-stage warning system in a Level 3 automated driving system. Thirty-two drivers participated in a driving simulation study. The results showed that drivers under high cognitive load had longer and more frequent fixation on the road, which suggested a cautious attention strategy. The high-expectation group gazed less on the road and got greater lateral deviation and maximum acceleration. Attention allocation of the high-expectation group was similar between warning stages but was more susceptible to cognitive load within the same stage. The two-stage warnings need to be designed to direct drivers' attention effectively.

Grounded on the Affective Event Theory and the Quality of Telework Model, this cross-sectional study examined the impact of perceived advantage of remote workstation on remote work performance and if this relationship is mediated through remote work intensity and moderated by worktime autonomy. The perceived advantage of remote workstation was operationalised as the arithmetical difference between perceived home office and in-site office workstation quality. A sample of 349 Italian researchers involved in hybrid work arrangements completed an online questionnaire. Results show that employees who preferred their home office than in-office workplace tended to perform better remotely; the mediating effect of remote work intensity was not observed; finally, worktime autonomy positively moderated the relationship between perceived advantage of remote workstation and remote work intensity. This study offers theoretical and practical insights for designing effective hybrid workplaces, emphasising the importance of workstation quality and worktime autonomy in determining remote work performance.

Our study was carried out in winegrowing in France and relates to the prevention of pesticide exposure situations. During treatments, the sprayer is a technical determinant directly responsible for these situations because of its design. The objective of our study is to gain a better understanding of pesticide exposure situations during the use of sprayers, by identifying the design of these machinery and the regulations that apply to it as a chain of determinants. Focusing on activity-centred ergonomics, this qualitative study formulates ergonomic (video recorded observations and interviews) and legal (content regulation) analyses at each level of this chain (treatments activities, sprayer design activities, regulation, and regulation development activities). The results highlight the role of design and regulation in the emergence of pesticide exposure situations, due to a little consideration of the real work of winegrowers. This means that design and regulation are relevant change levers for sustainable preventive action.

In operational tasks involving cognitive processes and visual guided pointing activities, this paper investigated the effects of icon layout types, visual features and text labels on the performance of visual search through eye tracking technology, taking the layout types of the icon (single row, double row, matrix and circular), visual features (round icon, round inverse colour icon, chamfered square icon, chamfered square inverse colour icon and borderless icon) and text labels (with or without text labels) as experimental variables. The task completion time, the total duration of fixation in AOI (Area of Interest) and the number of fixations in AOI were statistically analysed. Experimental results revealed that the combination of without text label, matrix layout and chamfered square icons could help improve interaction efficiency. The research results were helpful in providing a basis for designers to improve the usability of human-computer interfaces during the prototype design stage of software and other related fields.