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Inventory of stress situations in nuclear power plants
services are investigated. The terminal simulating the service access is described. A subjective experiment was carried out to evaluate the users' performance when using the access procedures to several services. The test design and the automatic technique of data collection are illustrated.
Work design and organisation 18.3.29 (102873)
Middleton, M. Ergonomics systems design: An applied approach. In: Ergonomics in the Tourist, Agricultural and Mining Industries, Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society of Australia and New Zealand, Toowoomba, Queensland, December 1985. ESANZ, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia, 1985, pp 1 3 4 - 1 3 9 . The objective of ergonomic systems design is to integrate the humanmachine functions, enabling an optimum design to be accomplished. Systems ergonomics comprises a systemorientated approach in describing, analysing and integrating all the system elements and their inter-relationships into an overall system. This is accomplished by applying the methods of 'system engineering' to the design procedure of the operator-machine system. Systems thinking views all things as parts of larger complexes rather than units within a complex. Thinking for the various stages is carried out in a synthetic mode rather than an analytic mode and as a result provides a variety of ways of solving a given problem. Consequently this synthetic mode of thinking has given rise to the need for functional thinking so as not to unnecessarily restrict ideas available for the solution of the problem. Utilisation of this technique leads to problem solutions by viewing each smaller problem as part of a larger complex problem. This paper describes an applied ergonomics systems approach as it was used in the redesign of a crane cabin. Finally, details of some of the most important decision processes that led to the final design are discussed. 18.3.30 (102880) Pikaar, R.N. Man-machine interaction in process control. A state-of-the-art report. In: Human Decision Making and Manual Control, 5th EAM, 1985, Edited by H.-P. Willumeit. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1986, pp 1 5 7 - 1 7 2 . This article deals with the state-ofthe-art with respect to ergonomics aspects of process control systems. It
is based on recent literature in the field of process automation and on a workshop held at the Annual Manual 1985 in Berlin. First some terminology is introduced. Then, as a framework for discussing important aspects, an ergonomics design approach is given. There is evidence of the importance of ergonomics contributions to design projects. However, such contributions are still rare while, amongst others, it is hard to convince management of its value. Courses on ergonomics for every engineering student are looked upon as a key to introducing human factors in every stage of a design project. A situation analysis provides essential information for a design, as is shown by a number of field studies. On the allocation of tasks to automated systems and human operators a debate is going on with respect to the degree of automation and the form of work organisation that should be taken. Finally, with respect to interface design and man-machine interaction (in a narrow sense), quite a lot is knowr~, and a lot of research is going on, especially in the field of information presentation. However, knowledge on structuring information, special control devices and dialogue design for process control is still lacking. 18.3.31 (102889)
International Labour Office Annotated bibliography on working time. ILO, Geneva, 1986, 100 pp. Studies, articles, official reports and conference records are described in this two-part bibliography, which focuses on topical subjects in the world of work. The first part includes publications on the reduction of working time, concentrating in particular on the effects of such reduction on employment, and on such practices as part-time work, worksharing, j o b sharing, job-splitting and flexible work arrangements. The second part, on shift and night work, covers the design of shift systems, the effects of shift work and night work on workers' health and family life, and current practice and recent innovations in various countries and economic sectors.
around-the-clock p r o d u c t i o n work systems. A Work-Sleep Survey was then offered to 2340 hourly and salaried workers at four plants. Each plant was in the rubber and plastic products industry and on 5-day around-the-clock operations using permanent shifts. Of the total workers, 90-38% responded to the survey. The results agree with the findings of a previous survey, offered to workers through their unions, using malay of the same. This survey method is helpful as an aid for the design and evaluation of shift-work systems tailored to specific worker and plant requirements. 18.3.33 (102907) Ulrich, E., and Troy, N. Job organisation and allocation of functions between man and computer: 1I. Job organisation. In: Man-Computer Interaction Research - MACINTER-I, Edited by F. Klix and H. Wandke. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1986, pp 4 2 1 - 4 2 7 . By presenting some results of experimental studies, advantages of flexible types of applications of VDU work underline the relations between primary task and man-machine interaction. Finally, the modification of boundaries between organisational units is demanded in cases where departments' tasks are restricted by data processing systems. 18.3.34 (102915)
Saint-Jean, T., Ghertman, F., Faber, H., and Maline, J. Inventory of stress situations in nuclear power plants. In: Proceedings of the International Topical Meeting on Advances in Human Factors in Nuclear Power Systems, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2 l - 24 April, 1986. American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois, USA, 1986, pp 1 2 9 - 1 3 4 .
Anxious to pursue an in-depth analysis of stress phenomena in nuclear power plants in order to offer utilities appropriate solutions, Electricite de France and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique have jointly asked the Laboratoire de Psychologic du Travail to prepare an inventory of stress situations in nuclear electricity18.3.32 (102894) generating centres. This document Tepas, D.I., Armstrong, D.R., describes the approach used, the main Carlson, M.L., Duchon, J.C., Gersten, A., concepts which have served as guideand Lezotte, D.V. lines, and the methods of interpreting Changing industry to continuous the results obtained through operations: Different strokes for observations and questionnaires. different plants. Behaviour Research Methods, Instruments and Computers, 1985, 1 7 . 6 , 6 7 0 - 6 7 6 .
Health and safety
A survey method was designed to evaluate the effect of shift work on industrial workers and to develop recommendations for seven-day
18.3.35 (102996) Cohen, S., Evans, G.W., Stokols, D., and Krantz, D.S. Behavior, health and environmental
Applied Ergonomics
September1987
253
Work design and organisation 18.3.29 (102873)
Middleton, M. Ergonomics systems design: An applied approach. In: Ergonomics in the Tourist, Agricultural and Mining Industries, Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society of Australia and New Zealand, Toowoomba, Queensland, December 1985. ESANZ, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia, 1985, pp 1 3 4 - 1 3 9 . The objective of ergonomic systems design is to integrate the humanmachine functions, enabling an optimum design to be accomplished. Systems ergonomics comprises a systemorientated approach in describing, analysing and integrating all the system elements and their inter-relationships into an overall system. This is accomplished by applying the methods of 'system engineering' to the design procedure of the operator-machine system. Systems thinking views all things as parts of larger complexes rather than units within a complex. Thinking for the various stages is carried out in a synthetic mode rather than an analytic mode and as a result provides a variety of ways of solving a given problem. Consequently this synthetic mode of thinking has given rise to the need for functional thinking so as not to unnecessarily restrict ideas available for the solution of the problem. Utilisation of this technique leads to problem solutions by viewing each smaller problem as part of a larger complex problem. This paper describes an applied ergonomics systems approach as it was used in the redesign of a crane cabin. Finally, details of some of the most important decision processes that led to the final design are discussed. 18.3.30 (102880) Pikaar, R.N. Man-machine interaction in process control. A state-of-the-art report. In: Human Decision Making and Manual Control, 5th EAM, 1985, Edited by H.-P. Willumeit. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1986, pp 1 5 7 - 1 7 2 . This article deals with the state-ofthe-art with respect to ergonomics aspects of process control systems. It
is based on recent literature in the field of process automation and on a workshop held at the Annual Manual 1985 in Berlin. First some terminology is introduced. Then, as a framework for discussing important aspects, an ergonomics design approach is given. There is evidence of the importance of ergonomics contributions to design projects. However, such contributions are still rare while, amongst others, it is hard to convince management of its value. Courses on ergonomics for every engineering student are looked upon as a key to introducing human factors in every stage of a design project. A situation analysis provides essential information for a design, as is shown by a number of field studies. On the allocation of tasks to automated systems and human operators a debate is going on with respect to the degree of automation and the form of work organisation that should be taken. Finally, with respect to interface design and man-machine interaction (in a narrow sense), quite a lot is knowr~, and a lot of research is going on, especially in the field of information presentation. However, knowledge on structuring information, special control devices and dialogue design for process control is still lacking. 18.3.31 (102889)
International Labour Office Annotated bibliography on working time. ILO, Geneva, 1986, 100 pp. Studies, articles, official reports and conference records are described in this two-part bibliography, which focuses on topical subjects in the world of work. The first part includes publications on the reduction of working time, concentrating in particular on the effects of such reduction on employment, and on such practices as part-time work, worksharing, j o b sharing, job-splitting and flexible work arrangements. The second part, on shift and night work, covers the design of shift systems, the effects of shift work and night work on workers' health and family life, and current practice and recent innovations in various countries and economic sectors.
around-the-clock p r o d u c t i o n work systems. A Work-Sleep Survey was then offered to 2340 hourly and salaried workers at four plants. Each plant was in the rubber and plastic products industry and on 5-day around-the-clock operations using permanent shifts. Of the total workers, 90-38% responded to the survey. The results agree with the findings of a previous survey, offered to workers through their unions, using malay of the same. This survey method is helpful as an aid for the design and evaluation of shift-work systems tailored to specific worker and plant requirements. 18.3.33 (102907) Ulrich, E., and Troy, N. Job organisation and allocation of functions between man and computer: 1I. Job organisation. In: Man-Computer Interaction Research - MACINTER-I, Edited by F. Klix and H. Wandke. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1986, pp 4 2 1 - 4 2 7 . By presenting some results of experimental studies, advantages of flexible types of applications of VDU work underline the relations between primary task and man-machine interaction. Finally, the modification of boundaries between organisational units is demanded in cases where departments' tasks are restricted by data processing systems. 18.3.34 (102915)
Saint-Jean, T., Ghertman, F., Faber, H., and Maline, J. Inventory of stress situations in nuclear power plants. In: Proceedings of the International Topical Meeting on Advances in Human Factors in Nuclear Power Systems, Knoxville, Tennessee, 2 l - 24 April, 1986. American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois, USA, 1986, pp 1 2 9 - 1 3 4 .
Anxious to pursue an in-depth analysis of stress phenomena in nuclear power plants in order to offer utilities appropriate solutions, Electricite de France and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique have jointly asked the Laboratoire de Psychologic du Travail to prepare an inventory of stress situations in nuclear electricity18.3.32 (102894) generating centres. This document Tepas, D.I., Armstrong, D.R., describes the approach used, the main Carlson, M.L., Duchon, J.C., Gersten, A., concepts which have served as guideand Lezotte, D.V. lines, and the methods of interpreting Changing industry to continuous the results obtained through operations: Different strokes for observations and questionnaires. different plants. Behaviour Research Methods, Instruments and Computers, 1985, 1 7 . 6 , 6 7 0 - 6 7 6 .
Health and safety
A survey method was designed to evaluate the effect of shift work on industrial workers and to develop recommendations for seven-day
18.3.35 (102996) Cohen, S., Evans, G.W., Stokols, D., and Krantz, D.S. Behavior, health and environmental
Applied Ergonomics
September1987
253