电视机和有线通讯设备流水线作业工人的工效学调查研究

对电视机和有线通讯设备流水线作业工人的肌肉骨骼损伤进行了人类工效学分析。结果表明，过分低头、向前弯腰、手抬高过肩，长久坐位、同一动作持续时间过长以及工中休息时间太短，可能是造成工人肌肉骨骼损伤的主要原因     

对人的认识和假设是人机工程学的基石

人机系统是以人为中心的系统，对人的认识和假设是人机工程学的基石。本文提出了人是生物人、经济人、社会人的复合体的新观点。由于对人的特质的认识还存在着许多“盲区”和“误区”，这就给人机工程学的完善和发展带来了许多不定因素和困难     

视屏作业人员作业工效学调查研究

以人类工效学原则为尺度，根据作业人员一般状况作业体位、人——机测量、劳动休息制度、劳动强度、工作环境……等几方面对视屏作业人员肌肉骨骼损伤的形成和特点，进行分析，结果表明过分低头、向前弯腰、向两侧弯腰、手抬高过肩和长期坐位等不良体位和作业姿势，是视屏作业人员出现肌肉骨骼损伤的重要因素     

航空工效中情境觉知的研究

随着航空设备自动化 /智能化水平的不断提高 ,现代飞机座舱中动态信息越来越多 ,而飞行员的主要作用已由操作控制向监视转移 ,即人的体力负荷下降、心理负荷增加的现象变得更加突出。鉴于此 ,有关飞行员情境觉知研究已成了目前航空工效研究领域中比较活跃的一个方向 ,笔者通过对情境觉知的发展历史、概念定义、影响因素、定性模型分析 ,并结合前人的研究成果建立了一个新的情境觉知定义和相应的情境觉知多级触发定性分析模型 ,初步揭示了高级飞行员和飞行学员之间的情境认知差别 ,并为进一步建立定量的情境觉知多级触发分析模型 (包括不同情境下飞行员的感觉、理解、预测等阶段的临界值 )打下了基础。     

Physical limitations and musculoskeletal complaints associated with work in unusual or restricted postures: a literature review

INTRODUCTION: The vast majority of ergonomics research has addressed the demands of work in standing or sitting postures, and understandably so. However, many workers (e.g., underground miners, aircraft baggage handlers, plumbers, agricultural workers, mechanics, and others) are often required to adopt postures such as kneeling, stooping, squatting, or lying down for significant periods of the workday. METHOD: A literature search was performed using the ISI Web of Science database (for years 1980-2004). Articles retrieved from this search were evaluated in terms of relevance to assessing physical capabilities of workers in these postures and/or the musculoskeletal epidemiology associated with these postures. RESULTS: Work in unusual and restricted postures was associated with significantly higher rates of musculoskeletal complaints compared to workers not adopting these postures in epidemiology studies (Odds Ratios ranging from 1.13 to 13). Some studies suggested a dose-response relationship, with longer exposures leading to increased musculoskeletal complaints. Physical strength and psychophysical lifting capacity vary significantly as unusual or restricted postures are adopted, with lower lifting capacities evident in the kneeling, squatting, and lying positions. CONCLUSIONS: Workers who adopt unusual or restricted postures appear to be at higher risk of musculoskeletal complaints and often exhibit reduced strength and lifting capacity. Research needs in this area include improved exposure assessment tools, studies of intervention effectiveness, adaptations of the body in response of work in unusual postures, and elucidation of relevant injury pathways. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Workers who adopt unusual or restricted postures in their work often experience higher musculoskeletal injury rates. If awkward postures cannot be eliminated in the workplace, jobs should be designed in accordance with the reduced strength and lifting capabilities observed in these postures.     

Overhead drilling: Comparing three bases for aligning a drilling jig to vertical

Problem

Drilling overhead into concrete or metal ceilings is a strenuous task done by construction workers to hang ductwork, piping, and electrical equipment. The task is associated with upper body pain and musculoskeletal disorders. Previously, we described a field usability evaluation of a foot lever and inverted drill press intervention devices that were compared to the usual method for overhead drilling. Both interventions were rated as inferior to the usual method based on poor setup time and mobility.

Method

Three new interventions, which differed on the design used for aligning the drilling column to vertical, were compared to the usual method for overhead drilling by commercial construction workers (n = 16).

Results

The usual method was associated with the highest levels of regional body fatigue and the poorest usability ratings when compared to the three interventions.

Conclusion

Overall, the 'Collar Base' intervention design received the best usability ratings.

Impact on Industry

Intervention designs developed for overhead drilling may reduce shoulder fatigue and prevent subsequent musculoskeletal disorders. These designs may also be useful for other overhead work such as lifting and supporting materials (e.g., piping, ducts) that are installed near the ceiling. Workplace health and safety interventions may require multiple rounds of field-testing prior to achieving acceptable usability ratings by the end users.     

Overcoming the blame game to learn from major accidents: A systemic analysis of an Anhydrous Ammonia leakage accident

This article aims to demonstrate the need for changing the methods with which accidents are analyzed, if we truly wish to use what we uncover from them to learn and enrich our knowledge base of organizational management. The goal is to relinquish the broadly adopted and rather simplistic paradigm that accepts the search for human error and unsafe acts performed by workers, and produces “guilt diagnostics”. Instead, we use a systemic accident analysis methodology, based on the sociotechnical principle of understanding the real operating conditions in which accidents take place. In order to demonstrate the benefits of the theoretical framework, we compare the analyses of an Anhydrous Ammonia gas leakage accident in a fish processing plant using the traditional accident analysis model based on unsafe acts and the proposed systemic approach. The results favor the latter since it tends to be more reliable and offering useful recommendations to safety management processes, thus helping to prevent accidents, especially in complex systems.     

Modelling performance variabilities in oil spill response to improve system resilience

The Environmental Defense Centers (EDCs) of Brazil provide response services following oil spill accidents. EDCs near affected areas rapidly organize and execute emergency response activities in order to minimize the environmental and economic impacts of spills. The current research applied ergonomic principles and methods (interviews, direct observation and focus groups) to describe common EDC system operations, and to identify constraints and conflicting procedural practices. Results of ergonomic field studies were modeled and analyzed using the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM), which can show how functional variability in planning, preparedness, execution, resources, economic and human factors affect the quality of emergency response activities. The FRAM analyses provide guidance for improving the resilience of oil spill emergency response systems.     

An adaptive neural network algorithm for assessment and improvement of job satisfaction with respect to HSE and ergonomics program: The case of a gas refinery

Researchers have been continuously trying to improve human performance with respect to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and ergonomics (hence HSEE). This study proposes an adaptive neural network (ANN) algorithm for measuring and improving job satisfaction among operators with respect to HSEE in a gas refinery. To achieve the objectives of this study, standard questionnaires with respect to HSEE are completed by operators. The average results for each category of HSEE are used as inputs and job satisfaction is used as output for the ANN algorithm. Moreover, ANN is used to rank operators performance with respect to HSEE and job satisfaction. Finally, Normal probability technique is used to identify outlier operators. Moreover, operators with inadequate job satisfaction with respect to HSEE are identified. This would help managers to see if operators are satisfied with their jobs in the context of HSEE. This is the first study that introduces an integrated ANN algorithm for assessment and improvement of human job satisfaction with respect to HSEE program in complex systems.