THE PROJECT

Introduction:

The objective of this GBA is to allow you (HFS201 students) to experience a simulated workstation evaluation and redesign process using a real-life example. You are free to select a situation of your choice for the analysis. It may be from your home or workplace. This rather limited evaluation process would give you some insights into how to tackle practical workplace evaluations, and the practical-oriented questions in the final exam. You will be required to plan and carry out:

• data gathering on anthropometric profiles of selected users
• identifying a workstation suitable for a certain type of evaluation
• surveying and recording of user feedbacks
• analysing anthropometric compatibility of workstation and users
• recommending changes to ensure the health and safety of users

Workstation for Evaluation:

Identify a suitable workstation from your workplace or elsewhere, that satisfies the following:

• the person at the workstation is to be seated
•  he* performs tasks actively with his hands, no high muscular exertions
• the workstation may be stationary or in motion
• may be a seated workstation from any industrial setting (manufacturing, assembling, etc.)
• could also be a seated workstation where one controls a mobile machine/equipment
• must not be an office workstation, or similar
•  must not be one with sedentary tasks, or where no active tasks are involved
• must not be driving a conventional vehicle.

Question 1

Description of the Workstation and its User

Examine the workstation as thoroughly as possible based on your understanding of ergonomics and human factors principles. You should investigate this with the actual (normal) user of the workstation performing his assigned task. Looking into a workstation by itself without the user would be rather meaningless. Answer the question below.

(a) Based on your examination of the workstation-user combination:

• describe the operation, functionality, overall layout, and component arrangement of the workstation
• present the layout of the workstation with the following requirements:
  o this is to be done on the workstation only, without its user
  o hand-drawn full-page diagrams/sketches (not photographs)
  o shown in plan (top), front/side views
  o dimensions, components, features to be clearly indicated and labelled

b) Gather the following information from the actual user:

• the user:
  o should not be a member of the project team
  o must be the actual user of the workstation
•  measure the stature of the user:
  o measure his stature
  o measure his standing height as accurately as possible by having him standing upright against a wall, without shoes
  o measure 3 times, record the best average reading in millimetres.

(c) Develop an estimated anthropometric profile of the actual user:

• basic assumptions of the actual user:
  o he is anthropometrically similar with that reported in Table 1 of Tan Kay
  Chuan et al (2010)
• this paper is available on the Canvas course site
  o all his body segments share the same percentile value as that of his stature
• calculate his estimated anthropometric data
  o an estimated anthropometric profile will be generated from his stature as measured in Q1(b) above
  o calculate his percentile in accordance with the data in Tan et al (2010)
  o use this same calculated percentile, derive the other anthropometric values
  required for workstation analysis

Question 2

Task Performed at the Workstation

After identifying and examining the workstation physically, the next step is to evaluate the tasks/operations by the user of the workstation. Observe the tasks being performed by the actual user, especially the postures adopted by the users. Find out on the type, occurrence and severity of any ergonomics issues faced.

(a) Describe the tasks performed by the actual user:

•  how the tasks are carried out
• how he operates/interacts with various components of the workstation
• if a workpiece is involved, describe the workpiece
• provide photographic evidence

(b) Observe and investigate his working posture:

• use a camera to record the working posture adopted by the user

o picture of the working posture from different angles, especially the sagittal
plane
o picture should include the context of the task, i.e. include some of the relevant background

• indicate any awkward postures:
  o overlap appropriate stickman diagrams over pictures of the interested posture
  o for providing a clearer vision of the deviated postures.

(c) Conduct a user survey:

• use suitable survey forms(s) to obtain feedback from the user
• if there are other users of similar workstation in the location, also conduct the surveys with them
• tabulate their ergonomics issues
•  in the same table, include the issues from your own observations
• provide a summary of all the issues.

Question 3

Compatibility of Workstation with Actual User
Apply appropriate ergonomics tools together with the estimated anthropometric data set from Question 1(c) and evaluate the compatibility of the workstation with the actual user.

(a) Analyse suitability of the workstation with the actual user:

• tabulate the dimensions of the workstation recorded in Question 1(a) against the appropriate anthropometric value obtain in Question 1(c)
•  analyse and comment on the anthropometric compatibility for each of the workstation dimension/feature
• for each incompatibility identified, explain and discuss the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) that the user might experience
• present the results in a table.

(b) Briefly discuss what should be done to improve the compatibility of the workstation for the user.

Question 4

Anthropometric Data Gathering for Another User

Use the anthropometric jig at the HFS Lab to generate the anthropometric profile for ONE (1) of your team members. Anthropometric measurement instructions may be downloaded from the Canvas course site. A comprehensive set of anthropometric data is to be taken. You may refer to Tan et al (2010) for a list of the commonly used anthropometric measurements.

a) Provide a table showing anthropometric values in millimetres.
(b) Describe how the anthropometric data were obtained. Show pictures of how the measurements were done.

Question 5

Modify the Workstation for Another User

Based on your findings on the shortcomings of the workstation for the actual user, proceed to modify the workstation for the selected member of your project team. Since the workstation will be designed for a specific user (a member of your project team), all the dimensions are to be of fixed dimensions. No adjustability is allowed.

(a) Modify the workstation for the selected member of your project team:

•  apply the appropriate ergonomics principles and concepts for your redesign
  o briefly describe why you use the principle/concept for this purpose
•  illustrate the new modified workstation using suitable diagrams, with dimensions and
  other important features properly labelled
  o each diagram should occupy a full page for better clarity.

(b) Discussions and Conclusion.