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IEA Conference
News Ergonomics database An ergonomics database for PC users called Ergobase TM is menu driven (IBM PC/XT/AT/PS2I compatible) and allows the user on-screen access to anthropometric data for over 30 international populations including civilian populations, military populations, wheelchair users, pregnant women and the elderly. Within each of these categories, data are available for a large number of more specific populations. In addition to the above, the program also provides data on numerous special measures (e g, body link lengths, clearance and reach, range of motion, thumb placement/reach, etc), body forces (static, isometric/dynamic), and aerobic capacities. The anthropometric data are displayed on-screen, in tabular form, and may also be printed out on any dotmatrix or daisy-wheel printer. To assist the user in understanding what each anthropometric dimension represents; each population menu includes an 'image display' section. In this section, images representing each of the various postures are displayed with a key identifying the relevant body segment measures. A glossary of ergonomics terms is easily referenced during program use. Program requirements include: hard disk with 2"7 megabytes of free space; DOS 2'0 or better; 512k of m e m o r y ; o n e floppy disk drive; program is supplied on 5¼ in floppy; a graphics display card (CGA, EGA, VGA, ATT 6300, HGA or MGA). For information on Ergobase TM contact: John J. Ferri, Director of Marketing, Biomechanics Corporation of America, 337 Skidmore Road, Deer Park, New York 11729, USA.
intensive care units and 48% in medical technical departments to 4% in the nursing departments. A minority of respondents (2%) found working with VDU less motivating, 32% found it more motivating. One-third of the sample complained about the noise or experienced some problems with the software. An analysis stratified by department showed only few significant differences between VDU-workers and controls as to the reported complaints. In each department, workers with VDUs appeared to suffer significantly more from watering eyes. Although VDUworkers in nursing and medical technical departments complained more frequently about overload, headache and fatigue, they did not in the administrative department. Thus automation could be an extra burden in the former departments. The frequency of headache and low back pain among VDU-workers was affected favourably by regular pauses during the work. Pain in the forearm, tearful eyes and troubled vision were correlated with the duration of the VDU-work. The frequency of complaints increased especially from 5 h/day. This trend was not affected by the visibility of the VDU screen, the taking of pauses or the correction of an eye defect. The main weakness in this study is the cross-sectional design. Only associations but no causal relationships can be shown because the composition of the comparison group is not controlled for. More information from G.F. Moens and P. Jacques, Occupational Health Services IDEWE, Wetstraat 103, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium (02/237.33.22).
VDU work in hospitals A report on 'Working with video display units and health complaints among hospital employees' describes a cross-sectional survey of 1454 employees in seven Flemish hospitals which was carried out during the months of May and June 1989. A selfadministered questionnaire was used containing questions about health complaints and about hindrance at the workplace. Aspects of eventual work with a video display unit (VDU) were also registered. The response amounted to 79'5%. The results showed that one third of the sample worked with a VDU. This proportion, however, varied according to the hospital department: from 78% in administrative departments and
Health and safety regulations The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a reminder to employers that new regulations on health and safety for employees came into force on 18 October 1989. These are The
Health and Safety Infbrmation ]or Employees Regulations 1989, SI 1989 No 682, ISBN 0 11 096682 1 (available from HMSO, price £1.35). To comply with these regulations, employers are required to display a poster or distribute leaflets informing their employees in general terms about the requirements of health and safety law. A poster and leaflet, approved by HSE for this purpose, are available from HMSO. The regulations also require employers to inform employees
of the local addresses of the enforcing authority (usually either HSE or the local authority) and of HSE's Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS).
lEA Conference The International Ergonomics Association is arranging a conference on "Human Factors in Design for Manufacturability and Process Planning", 9 11 August 1990 in Honolulu, Hawaii. A range of applied and theoretical issues are related to product design including: Ease of manual and automatic assembly, physical workload and biomechanics of assembly, cognitive workload including training, ease of product maintenance and repair, and task allocation between manual labour/ automation. There are also effects of the manufacturing process design on task allocation and socio-technical systems. Finally, issues related to the design process itself include systems design, cognitive aspects of design, and the use of artificial intelligence and expert systems to support the designer's work. Abstracts of 500 words should be submitted before 15 January 1990. To receive further information, please contact: Dr Martin Helander, Department of Industrial Engineering, 342 Bell Hall, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260. USA.
Noise at work regulations New regulations on noise at work,
Noise at Work Regulations 1989, were laid before Parliament on 5 October 1989 and come into force on 1 January 1990. The new regulations are based on the requirements of European Community Directive 86/188/EFC, which are designed to reduce the damage to hearing caused by loud noise in the workplace. Action required by the regulations depends upon the level of noise exposure. At 85 dB(A) over a working day, employers have to make noise assessments, give employees information and issue personal ear protection on request. At 90 dB(A), employers must reduce noise where reasonably practicable, designate ear protection zones and ensure employees have and wear ear protectors whenever they have to work above that level. Employees must co-operate by wearing ear protectors above 90 dB(A), properly using any other noise control equipment and reporting any defects they find in it. Machine makers,
Applied Ergonomics
December 1989
327
intensive care units and 48% in medical technical departments to 4% in the nursing departments. A minority of respondents (2%) found working with VDU less motivating, 32% found it more motivating. One-third of the sample complained about the noise or experienced some problems with the software. An analysis stratified by department showed only few significant differences between VDU-workers and controls as to the reported complaints. In each department, workers with VDUs appeared to suffer significantly more from watering eyes. Although VDUworkers in nursing and medical technical departments complained more frequently about overload, headache and fatigue, they did not in the administrative department. Thus automation could be an extra burden in the former departments. The frequency of headache and low back pain among VDU-workers was affected favourably by regular pauses during the work. Pain in the forearm, tearful eyes and troubled vision were correlated with the duration of the VDU-work. The frequency of complaints increased especially from 5 h/day. This trend was not affected by the visibility of the VDU screen, the taking of pauses or the correction of an eye defect. The main weakness in this study is the cross-sectional design. Only associations but no causal relationships can be shown because the composition of the comparison group is not controlled for. More information from G.F. Moens and P. Jacques, Occupational Health Services IDEWE, Wetstraat 103, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium (02/237.33.22).
VDU work in hospitals A report on 'Working with video display units and health complaints among hospital employees' describes a cross-sectional survey of 1454 employees in seven Flemish hospitals which was carried out during the months of May and June 1989. A selfadministered questionnaire was used containing questions about health complaints and about hindrance at the workplace. Aspects of eventual work with a video display unit (VDU) were also registered. The response amounted to 79'5%. The results showed that one third of the sample worked with a VDU. This proportion, however, varied according to the hospital department: from 78% in administrative departments and
Health and safety regulations The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a reminder to employers that new regulations on health and safety for employees came into force on 18 October 1989. These are The
Health and Safety Infbrmation ]or Employees Regulations 1989, SI 1989 No 682, ISBN 0 11 096682 1 (available from HMSO, price £1.35). To comply with these regulations, employers are required to display a poster or distribute leaflets informing their employees in general terms about the requirements of health and safety law. A poster and leaflet, approved by HSE for this purpose, are available from HMSO. The regulations also require employers to inform employees
of the local addresses of the enforcing authority (usually either HSE or the local authority) and of HSE's Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS).
lEA Conference The International Ergonomics Association is arranging a conference on "Human Factors in Design for Manufacturability and Process Planning", 9 11 August 1990 in Honolulu, Hawaii. A range of applied and theoretical issues are related to product design including: Ease of manual and automatic assembly, physical workload and biomechanics of assembly, cognitive workload including training, ease of product maintenance and repair, and task allocation between manual labour/ automation. There are also effects of the manufacturing process design on task allocation and socio-technical systems. Finally, issues related to the design process itself include systems design, cognitive aspects of design, and the use of artificial intelligence and expert systems to support the designer's work. Abstracts of 500 words should be submitted before 15 January 1990. To receive further information, please contact: Dr Martin Helander, Department of Industrial Engineering, 342 Bell Hall, SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260. USA.
Noise at work regulations New regulations on noise at work,
Noise at Work Regulations 1989, were laid before Parliament on 5 October 1989 and come into force on 1 January 1990. The new regulations are based on the requirements of European Community Directive 86/188/EFC, which are designed to reduce the damage to hearing caused by loud noise in the workplace. Action required by the regulations depends upon the level of noise exposure. At 85 dB(A) over a working day, employers have to make noise assessments, give employees information and issue personal ear protection on request. At 90 dB(A), employers must reduce noise where reasonably practicable, designate ear protection zones and ensure employees have and wear ear protectors whenever they have to work above that level. Employees must co-operate by wearing ear protectors above 90 dB(A), properly using any other noise control equipment and reporting any defects they find in it. Machine makers,
Applied Ergonomics
December 1989
327