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Physical demands of bakery workers
21.4.39 (117221)
Karwowski, W., and Rahimi, M. Work design and work measurement: Implications for advanced production systems. In t J Indust Ergonomics, 1989, 4(3), 1 8 5 - 1 9 3 , 35 refs. With the increasing use of advanced automation technology, new approaches to work measurement are necessitated. The methodological needs for the research into development of a new generation o f work measurement systems are examined, and a cognitive system engineering approach is adopted to take into account human behaviour other than physical activity. It is proposed that the work measurement schemes for advanced production systems should be built around the cognitive characteristics of the workers and be compatible with their internal representational models of the given system. 21.4.40 (117740)
Kogi, K., Ong, C.N., and Cabantog, C. Some social aspects of shift work in Asian developing countries. Int J IndustErgonomics, 1989, 4(2), 1 5 1 159, 22 refs. As shift work spreads to industries in developing countries in Asia, attempts have been made to adjust the shift systems to be compatible with the local situation. Reports from these countries, though still limited in number, indicate that effects on health and repercussions on family and social life are often noticeable. Recent examples of changing rotation shift systems in some Asian developing countries are described and the associated health and social problems are reviewed. These examples show that while physical effects are apparent, psychosocial implications of shift schedules, including those related to family and social life, are regarded by shift workers as the most troublesome. Systems with relatively long day-off periods are often used but they seem to have unfavourable effects due to fatigue and daily life inconveniences during long or consecutive night shifts. The interferences with social and family life seem to play a role in adjusting the shift system in these countries. 21.4.41 (117760)
Doolittle, T.L., and Daniel, B. Physical demands of bakery workers. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, California, Vol I, 1989, pp 6 8 2 - 6 8 6 , 8 refs. Job analyses were conducted at three bakeries of a West Coast company to determine the metabolic and strength demands imposed upon the
workers. The physically demanding tasks were consolidated into four j o b families. Masses, distances, frequencies and other data were obtained. F r o m these it was determined that individuals were working at 3"5 to 4"0 METs continuously, with peak efforts reaching 5 METs. Strength requirements exceeded the NIOSH action limit for some tasks. Pre.assignment screening standards were recommended as an administrative control. 21.4.42 (117202)
Yufik, Y.M., and Hartzell, E.J. Design for trainability: Assessment of operational complexity in man-machine systems. In: Designing and using h u m a n - c o m p u t e r interfaces and knowledge-based systems, Salvendy, G., and Smith, M.J.~(Eds). Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1989, pp 1 6 0 - 1 6 7 , 37 refs. This paper reports progress in the development of a computer-aided engineering system for the design of helicopter crewstations. The system will apply to computational human factors methods to predict pilot training requirements early in the conceptual phase of design. The authors focus on operational complexity as one of the training predictors, and introduce methods for deriving complexity measures from design characteristics and pilot mental models. They argue that dependency graphs can be used to represent evolution of pilot models in the course of training, and propose complexity measures reflecting uncertainty resolved in graphs manipulation. They indicate motivations of this work, then describe pilot models, followed by key concepts of complexity assessment. 21.4.43 (117787)
St. Denis, G. The smart house: Some human factors questions and concerns. In: Proc Human Factors Assoc of Canada 22nd Ann Conf, Toronto, Ontario, 2 6 - 2 9 Nov 1989. Human Factors Assoc of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, 1989, pp 9 9 - 1 0 5 , 68 refs. This review provides a brief overview of the history and R & D efforts taking place around the world in intelligent living. The Smart House (SH) concept is then presented, followed by an elaboration of the human factors issues (centred around the equipment and software) that need to be dealt with for this domain. New research avenues are also pointed out through the many design questions that need to be answered. Finally, encouraging users to explore a system is a sure way to minimise the potential intimidation that accompanies any system expected to control domestic activities.
Health and safety 21.4.44 (117783) Leonard, D.C., Ponsi, K.A., Silver, N.C., and Wogalter, M.S. Pest-control products: Reading warnings and purchasing intentions. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, California, Vol 1, 1989, p p 4 3 6 - 4 4 0 , 12 refs. This research is part of a large study examining people's perceptions of household pest-control products. Described in this report are the variables associated with people's willingness to read warnings on these products and the variables associated with likelihood to purchase. Two subject samples, comprising 70 undergraduates and 20 adults, examined 22 pest-control products and responded to a questionnalre assessing perceptions of the products, the packaging, and the warnings. Results showed that product hazardousness, warning understandability and warning attractiveness strongly related to subjects' willingness to read the warnings. Unexpectedly, readability analyses indicated subjects would more likely read warnings with more sentences/ statements and written at higher grade levels. A different set of variables was related to purchasing intentions. Subjects reported greater willingness to purchase products that were more familiar and which had more attractive packaging. Regression analyses were also performed to obtain models predictive of reading warnings and purchasing intentions. The results are discussed in terms of manufacturers' concerns of sales and consumer safety. The relative independence of subjects' purchasing intentions and the variables related to reading warnings suggest that manufacturers can place appropriate and effective warnings on pestcontrol products without the fear of reduced buying intentions.
21.4.45 (117813) Woodcock, K. Accidents and injuries and ergonomics: A review of theory and practice. In: Proc Human Factors Assoc of Canada 22rid Ann Conf, Toronto, Ontario, 2 6 - 2 9 Nov 1989. Human Factors Assoc of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, 1989, pp 1 - 1 0 , 88 refs. The ergonomist often examines occupational injuries and illnesses to seek priorities (or justification) for future scientific enquiry or systems analysis and problem solving. The safety of an occupational system can indeed be traced to its ergonomics characteristics. However, the ergonomist is often unaware that common means of measuring 'safety' reflect
Applied Ergonomics
December 1990
343
Karwowski, W., and Rahimi, M. Work design and work measurement: Implications for advanced production systems. In t J Indust Ergonomics, 1989, 4(3), 1 8 5 - 1 9 3 , 35 refs. With the increasing use of advanced automation technology, new approaches to work measurement are necessitated. The methodological needs for the research into development of a new generation o f work measurement systems are examined, and a cognitive system engineering approach is adopted to take into account human behaviour other than physical activity. It is proposed that the work measurement schemes for advanced production systems should be built around the cognitive characteristics of the workers and be compatible with their internal representational models of the given system. 21.4.40 (117740)
Kogi, K., Ong, C.N., and Cabantog, C. Some social aspects of shift work in Asian developing countries. Int J IndustErgonomics, 1989, 4(2), 1 5 1 159, 22 refs. As shift work spreads to industries in developing countries in Asia, attempts have been made to adjust the shift systems to be compatible with the local situation. Reports from these countries, though still limited in number, indicate that effects on health and repercussions on family and social life are often noticeable. Recent examples of changing rotation shift systems in some Asian developing countries are described and the associated health and social problems are reviewed. These examples show that while physical effects are apparent, psychosocial implications of shift schedules, including those related to family and social life, are regarded by shift workers as the most troublesome. Systems with relatively long day-off periods are often used but they seem to have unfavourable effects due to fatigue and daily life inconveniences during long or consecutive night shifts. The interferences with social and family life seem to play a role in adjusting the shift system in these countries. 21.4.41 (117760)
Doolittle, T.L., and Daniel, B. Physical demands of bakery workers. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, California, Vol I, 1989, pp 6 8 2 - 6 8 6 , 8 refs. Job analyses were conducted at three bakeries of a West Coast company to determine the metabolic and strength demands imposed upon the
workers. The physically demanding tasks were consolidated into four j o b families. Masses, distances, frequencies and other data were obtained. F r o m these it was determined that individuals were working at 3"5 to 4"0 METs continuously, with peak efforts reaching 5 METs. Strength requirements exceeded the NIOSH action limit for some tasks. Pre.assignment screening standards were recommended as an administrative control. 21.4.42 (117202)
Yufik, Y.M., and Hartzell, E.J. Design for trainability: Assessment of operational complexity in man-machine systems. In: Designing and using h u m a n - c o m p u t e r interfaces and knowledge-based systems, Salvendy, G., and Smith, M.J.~(Eds). Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1989, pp 1 6 0 - 1 6 7 , 37 refs. This paper reports progress in the development of a computer-aided engineering system for the design of helicopter crewstations. The system will apply to computational human factors methods to predict pilot training requirements early in the conceptual phase of design. The authors focus on operational complexity as one of the training predictors, and introduce methods for deriving complexity measures from design characteristics and pilot mental models. They argue that dependency graphs can be used to represent evolution of pilot models in the course of training, and propose complexity measures reflecting uncertainty resolved in graphs manipulation. They indicate motivations of this work, then describe pilot models, followed by key concepts of complexity assessment. 21.4.43 (117787)
St. Denis, G. The smart house: Some human factors questions and concerns. In: Proc Human Factors Assoc of Canada 22nd Ann Conf, Toronto, Ontario, 2 6 - 2 9 Nov 1989. Human Factors Assoc of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, 1989, pp 9 9 - 1 0 5 , 68 refs. This review provides a brief overview of the history and R & D efforts taking place around the world in intelligent living. The Smart House (SH) concept is then presented, followed by an elaboration of the human factors issues (centred around the equipment and software) that need to be dealt with for this domain. New research avenues are also pointed out through the many design questions that need to be answered. Finally, encouraging users to explore a system is a sure way to minimise the potential intimidation that accompanies any system expected to control domestic activities.
Health and safety 21.4.44 (117783) Leonard, D.C., Ponsi, K.A., Silver, N.C., and Wogalter, M.S. Pest-control products: Reading warnings and purchasing intentions. In: Perspectives. Proc Human Factors Soc 33rd Ann Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 6 - 2 0 Oct 1989. Human Factors Soc, Santa Monica, California, Vol 1, 1989, p p 4 3 6 - 4 4 0 , 12 refs. This research is part of a large study examining people's perceptions of household pest-control products. Described in this report are the variables associated with people's willingness to read warnings on these products and the variables associated with likelihood to purchase. Two subject samples, comprising 70 undergraduates and 20 adults, examined 22 pest-control products and responded to a questionnalre assessing perceptions of the products, the packaging, and the warnings. Results showed that product hazardousness, warning understandability and warning attractiveness strongly related to subjects' willingness to read the warnings. Unexpectedly, readability analyses indicated subjects would more likely read warnings with more sentences/ statements and written at higher grade levels. A different set of variables was related to purchasing intentions. Subjects reported greater willingness to purchase products that were more familiar and which had more attractive packaging. Regression analyses were also performed to obtain models predictive of reading warnings and purchasing intentions. The results are discussed in terms of manufacturers' concerns of sales and consumer safety. The relative independence of subjects' purchasing intentions and the variables related to reading warnings suggest that manufacturers can place appropriate and effective warnings on pestcontrol products without the fear of reduced buying intentions.
21.4.45 (117813) Woodcock, K. Accidents and injuries and ergonomics: A review of theory and practice. In: Proc Human Factors Assoc of Canada 22rid Ann Conf, Toronto, Ontario, 2 6 - 2 9 Nov 1989. Human Factors Assoc of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, 1989, pp 1 - 1 0 , 88 refs. The ergonomist often examines occupational injuries and illnesses to seek priorities (or justification) for future scientific enquiry or systems analysis and problem solving. The safety of an occupational system can indeed be traced to its ergonomics characteristics. However, the ergonomist is often unaware that common means of measuring 'safety' reflect
Applied Ergonomics
December 1990
343