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Passenger problems on moving buses
This paper discusses the design of work stations and good posture. The associated development of a photographic kinetosphere and photogammetry anthropometric techniques is discussed. The recordings from these systems provide dynamic anthropometric data, and information for anatomical and physiological analysis of postures. A number of illustrated examples will be given of situations where applications of such techniques will be useful. The importance of taking into account the skeletal differences between males and females for safe design is emphasised.
11.2.32 (78255)
Ray, R.D., and Ray, W.D. An analysis of domestic cooker control design. Ergonomics, Nov 1979, 22.11, 1243-1248. This study is an attempt to identify the particular arrangement of the controls of a domestic cooker which would be the most natural and efficient to use. A cooker hob simulator capable of providing both 'in line' and 'in quadrature' ring layouts, and different ring-control arrangements was used. Twenty-eight students carried out trials on the simulator and their error rates were measured. A new statistical test was used to show that one of the ring-control arrangements for the 'in quadrature' rings, gave significantly less errors than the other three and hence could be regarded as the easiest to use.
11.2.33 (78258)
Journal o f Medical Engineering and Technology, Nov 1979, 3.6, 301--302. Investigations of a series of falls from hospital beds showed that the cause was the poor design of the particular mattresses. Interior sprung mattresses of this construction are unstable at their edges and are particularly hazardous when used with the modern, rigid base hospital bed. 11.2.35 (78264)
Hoag, L.L. Data for designing hand tools for female craft workers. In: Compass for Technology, Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 29 Oct -- 1 Nov 1979, Edited by C.K. Bensel, pp 1 8 8 - 1 9 0 . This paper reviews the anthropometric and strength data collected on women which can be used to redesign tools to permit the female workers to successfully function in the craft areas. Data were collected on women currently working in craft areas for a large United States corporation. The workers were located at facilities in three major cities. The geographic dispersion of these cities help assure a balance in any regional variations in ethnic groups. The data from this study were compared with data from other studies and it was found that the female craft technicians measured in this study were substantially different from the women measured in the other studies. The craft technicians were taller and stronger than the comparison groups.
Green, J.R.B. Seating aids for handicapped children. In: Human Factors and Contemporary Society: Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society of Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne, Australia, 30 N o v - 1 Dec 1978, Edited by T.J. Triggs, pp 5 4 - 5 6 . Research into the design requirements of sitting posture supports for handicapped children has shown that safety, comfort, mobility and adjustability are considered the most important features. Assessment of seating aids in current use shows that while safety requirements are mostly well provided for, adjustability, comfort and mobility are relatively inadequate. Further investigations are in hand to develop safe means of adjustment and to provide seats which are also attractive, mobile, easily cleaned and relatively cheap. 11.2.34 (78259)
Shaw, A., and Fisher, J. Falls from hospital beds as a result of poor mattress design: A case history.
110
Applied Ergonomics June 1980
11.2.36 (78271)
Leyland Vehicles Human Factors Group Passenger problems on moving buses. Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, Berks, Aug 1978, 174 pp. Phase II of the investigation into passenger problems on moving buses summarises the five aspects of research undertaken by Leyland Vehicles under contract to the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Handholds: Various designs were developed and built into a mock-up entrance. A group of 60 elderly subjects assisted in evaluating these to select the most suitable shape, clearance and surface finish. Although the stature of the subject influences the preferred location, it was found that handrails should have both a vertical and a sloping portion and the latter should be 1000 mm above the corresponding surface on which the person stands. Oval section tubes were found to be preferred, and a minimum
clearance hand of 70 mm tto rail centre-line) was indicated. The sloping part of the handrail should have a nonslip finish. Going to and from the seat: Using a modified Leyland National bus, equipped with an adjustable floor, instrumented stanchions and acceleration measuring equipment, the comfort and ability of standing passengers to remain upright was studied. Acceleration levels as low as 0' 15 g resulted in a force of up to 70% of passenger body weight being reacted through the vertical stanchions. In the experiment young fit subjects were used for safety reasons, but the implications of the results for elderly passengers are even greater. For passengers, acceleration or rate of change of acceleration has a greater effect on comfort and stability than floor design or internal steps. In the seat: The definition of good or bad journeys as described by a Journey Quality Index is related to the distribution of jerk levels. Analysis of specific vehicle events reveals the area where improvements in vehicle control and driver training would produce better bus journeys. A bad bus journey in the above terms was found to have jerk levels exceeding +1'6 g/s and less than - 1 . 4 g/s. Step height and retractable step: The entry and exit step height can be the most inhibiting feature but it is closely linked with handrail design and location. A retractable step provided a first step of 185 mm. It improved the ease of use by elderly passengers and did not increase the wheel stop time in these trials. However, its mechanical complexity and projection from the side of the vehicle present problems when considered for service bus applications. Other means of achieving a lower entry step height may justify more detailed study. Accidents." A study has been made of accident data over a period of 12 months by 30 bus operators, covering about 30 000 vehicles in the UK. 57% of the passenger injuries were sustained in non-collision accidents and 43% of these occurred to passengers who were estimated to be over 60 years of age. Other surveys show that elderly passengers average less than 20% of all passengers carried. Reported accident rates for females over 60 years of age are four times those for males in this age group before accounting for the longevity of females. Boarding accidents form a significantly greater proportion of accidents to the elderly, with gangway accidents a special risk for female passengers of all ages. The quantity of data available did not permit the effect of vehicle layout and furnishing 1o be clearly related to accidents. In particular, for step height there are now insufficient vehicles in operation with significantly
lower step heights to show differences in accident rate.
Illumination 11.2.37 (78284) Boyee, P.R. Veiling reflections: An experimental study of their effects on office work TRC Report No T79-2892; Electricity Council Research Centre, Capenhurst, Chester, Report No ECRC-M- 1230 Mar 1979, 43 pp. Abstr in: R andD
Abstracts. Reports an experiment aimed at quantifying the effect of veiling reflections on the performance of office tasks and at evaluating different approaches to controlling veiling reflections. Twelve subjects were asked to do two short duration tasks, one a single typing task, the other involving the location of telephone numbers. Three lighting installations were used. The tasks were printed on gloss, lustre and matt surfaces. The three lighting installations provided lighting either from ahead or from the side of the subject and the lighting was either partially vertically polarised or unpolarised. These conditions produced a wide range of veiling reflection conditions. The time taken to complete each task and the errors made were recorded as were ratings of comfort and task difficulty. No significant effects of veiling reflection were found on the performance of the tasks.
Thermal conditions 11.2.38 (7833?) Commission for the European Communities Air conditioning in mineworkings (Klimatisierung im Abbau). (In German.) The Commission Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, Report No EUR5965 1978, 122 pp. Abstr in: CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-713). Report of the results of research performed with the financial support of the Commission of the European Communities. The introduction outlines the rapid advance in air conditioning in step with the increased depth of workings and progress in mechanisation. The results presented, based on data collected and measurements made in West German collieries, cover the following aspects: heat
transfer to the ambient air from the coal face and from coal extracted; energy consumption of, and heat emitted by, electrical equipment; programmes calculating the microclimate in a mine; thermodynamic parameters for calculating the microclimate, influence of mine ventilation and air flow rate in the roadway on the microclimate at the coal face; air flow rate in the roadway on the microclimate at the coal face; air coolers and calculation of their capacity; physiological study of the efficacy of cooled work clothes; insulation of cooled water pipes. 11.2.39 (78350)
Enander, A., Ljungberg, A.S., and Holmer, I. Effects of work in cold stores on man
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Sep 1979, 5.3, 1 9 5 - 2 0 4 . A work physiological study was conducted during three different types of work in cold stores, ie at dairies and in the cutting and packaging of meat. Peripheral cooling, especially of the fingers and hands, was noted in all the subjects. The work load was relatively light for the packers but varied considerably in the dairy work. In both dairy and packaging work, clothing was unsatisfactory in terms of thermal insulation and flexibility. The butchers were subjected to less cooling, as a result of a relatively intense but even work rate and clothing adapted to the work. The subjects were very capable of perceiving temperature changes in the peripheral parts of their bodies. Individual variations were considerable, especially with respect to cooling and the perception of temperature and discomfort. 11.2.40 (78353) Malchaire, J.B. The TLV work-rest regimens for occupational exposure to heat: A review of their development.
Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1979, 22.1, 5 5 - 6 2 . A comparison is made between two different approaches for specifying maximum allowable exposure time to heat stress conditions. A rational derivation is given for wet bulb globe thermometer limits for different work-rest regimens that are in close agreement with the ACGIH TLV recommendations. The significance of
these limits is discussed. A simpler version of the heat stress index is presented and the advantages of the two methods are compared.
Specialised and protective clothing and equipment 11.2.41 (78378)
Balieu, E., and Spindler, L. Performance testing for improving the level of respiratory protection in a fire brigade. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1978, 21.4, 3 5 1 - 3 6 1 . Measurements under laboratory conditions of the total inward leakages of a compressed air breathing apparatus (without positive pressure), worn by 49 firemen, show that 16 of the firemen had minimum protection factors smaller than 2000. The influence of beards, sideburns, long hair and anthropometry on the efficiency of the respiratory protection has been established. Based on this performance testing, suggestions for improving the protection level of each fireman could be given after which all firemen with one exception obtained mimimum protection factors higher than 2000.
Work organisation 11.2.42 (78410)
Walker, J. The human aspects of shiftwork. Institute of Personnel Management, London, Department of Employment, Work Research Unit, London, Information System Abstracts, 1978. The introduction of shiftwork can have a tremendous effect upon the life of the shiftworker and his family. Some of the changes may be beneficial but many cause inconvenience and a few lead to stress. Managements who wish to introduce shiftwork are, not surprisingly, often faced with resistance to change. This book is designed to bring to the notice of people in industry the problems which management and workers face when the times of working depart from the normal day shift and abnormal hours of work are adopted. It looks at why, when and how shiftwork should be introduced and what the effects are on the shiftworker and how they may be eased.
Applied Ergonomics June 1980
111
11.2.32 (78255)
Ray, R.D., and Ray, W.D. An analysis of domestic cooker control design. Ergonomics, Nov 1979, 22.11, 1243-1248. This study is an attempt to identify the particular arrangement of the controls of a domestic cooker which would be the most natural and efficient to use. A cooker hob simulator capable of providing both 'in line' and 'in quadrature' ring layouts, and different ring-control arrangements was used. Twenty-eight students carried out trials on the simulator and their error rates were measured. A new statistical test was used to show that one of the ring-control arrangements for the 'in quadrature' rings, gave significantly less errors than the other three and hence could be regarded as the easiest to use.
11.2.33 (78258)
Journal o f Medical Engineering and Technology, Nov 1979, 3.6, 301--302. Investigations of a series of falls from hospital beds showed that the cause was the poor design of the particular mattresses. Interior sprung mattresses of this construction are unstable at their edges and are particularly hazardous when used with the modern, rigid base hospital bed. 11.2.35 (78264)
Hoag, L.L. Data for designing hand tools for female craft workers. In: Compass for Technology, Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Boston, Massachusetts, 29 Oct -- 1 Nov 1979, Edited by C.K. Bensel, pp 1 8 8 - 1 9 0 . This paper reviews the anthropometric and strength data collected on women which can be used to redesign tools to permit the female workers to successfully function in the craft areas. Data were collected on women currently working in craft areas for a large United States corporation. The workers were located at facilities in three major cities. The geographic dispersion of these cities help assure a balance in any regional variations in ethnic groups. The data from this study were compared with data from other studies and it was found that the female craft technicians measured in this study were substantially different from the women measured in the other studies. The craft technicians were taller and stronger than the comparison groups.
Green, J.R.B. Seating aids for handicapped children. In: Human Factors and Contemporary Society: Proceedings of the 15th Annual Conference of the Ergonomics Society of Australia and New Zealand, Melbourne, Australia, 30 N o v - 1 Dec 1978, Edited by T.J. Triggs, pp 5 4 - 5 6 . Research into the design requirements of sitting posture supports for handicapped children has shown that safety, comfort, mobility and adjustability are considered the most important features. Assessment of seating aids in current use shows that while safety requirements are mostly well provided for, adjustability, comfort and mobility are relatively inadequate. Further investigations are in hand to develop safe means of adjustment and to provide seats which are also attractive, mobile, easily cleaned and relatively cheap. 11.2.34 (78259)
Shaw, A., and Fisher, J. Falls from hospital beds as a result of poor mattress design: A case history.
110
Applied Ergonomics June 1980
11.2.36 (78271)
Leyland Vehicles Human Factors Group Passenger problems on moving buses. Transport and Road Research Laboratory, Crowthorne, Berks, Aug 1978, 174 pp. Phase II of the investigation into passenger problems on moving buses summarises the five aspects of research undertaken by Leyland Vehicles under contract to the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Handholds: Various designs were developed and built into a mock-up entrance. A group of 60 elderly subjects assisted in evaluating these to select the most suitable shape, clearance and surface finish. Although the stature of the subject influences the preferred location, it was found that handrails should have both a vertical and a sloping portion and the latter should be 1000 mm above the corresponding surface on which the person stands. Oval section tubes were found to be preferred, and a minimum
clearance hand of 70 mm tto rail centre-line) was indicated. The sloping part of the handrail should have a nonslip finish. Going to and from the seat: Using a modified Leyland National bus, equipped with an adjustable floor, instrumented stanchions and acceleration measuring equipment, the comfort and ability of standing passengers to remain upright was studied. Acceleration levels as low as 0' 15 g resulted in a force of up to 70% of passenger body weight being reacted through the vertical stanchions. In the experiment young fit subjects were used for safety reasons, but the implications of the results for elderly passengers are even greater. For passengers, acceleration or rate of change of acceleration has a greater effect on comfort and stability than floor design or internal steps. In the seat: The definition of good or bad journeys as described by a Journey Quality Index is related to the distribution of jerk levels. Analysis of specific vehicle events reveals the area where improvements in vehicle control and driver training would produce better bus journeys. A bad bus journey in the above terms was found to have jerk levels exceeding +1'6 g/s and less than - 1 . 4 g/s. Step height and retractable step: The entry and exit step height can be the most inhibiting feature but it is closely linked with handrail design and location. A retractable step provided a first step of 185 mm. It improved the ease of use by elderly passengers and did not increase the wheel stop time in these trials. However, its mechanical complexity and projection from the side of the vehicle present problems when considered for service bus applications. Other means of achieving a lower entry step height may justify more detailed study. Accidents." A study has been made of accident data over a period of 12 months by 30 bus operators, covering about 30 000 vehicles in the UK. 57% of the passenger injuries were sustained in non-collision accidents and 43% of these occurred to passengers who were estimated to be over 60 years of age. Other surveys show that elderly passengers average less than 20% of all passengers carried. Reported accident rates for females over 60 years of age are four times those for males in this age group before accounting for the longevity of females. Boarding accidents form a significantly greater proportion of accidents to the elderly, with gangway accidents a special risk for female passengers of all ages. The quantity of data available did not permit the effect of vehicle layout and furnishing 1o be clearly related to accidents. In particular, for step height there are now insufficient vehicles in operation with significantly
lower step heights to show differences in accident rate.
Illumination 11.2.37 (78284) Boyee, P.R. Veiling reflections: An experimental study of their effects on office work TRC Report No T79-2892; Electricity Council Research Centre, Capenhurst, Chester, Report No ECRC-M- 1230 Mar 1979, 43 pp. Abstr in: R andD
Abstracts. Reports an experiment aimed at quantifying the effect of veiling reflections on the performance of office tasks and at evaluating different approaches to controlling veiling reflections. Twelve subjects were asked to do two short duration tasks, one a single typing task, the other involving the location of telephone numbers. Three lighting installations were used. The tasks were printed on gloss, lustre and matt surfaces. The three lighting installations provided lighting either from ahead or from the side of the subject and the lighting was either partially vertically polarised or unpolarised. These conditions produced a wide range of veiling reflection conditions. The time taken to complete each task and the errors made were recorded as were ratings of comfort and task difficulty. No significant effects of veiling reflection were found on the performance of the tasks.
Thermal conditions 11.2.38 (7833?) Commission for the European Communities Air conditioning in mineworkings (Klimatisierung im Abbau). (In German.) The Commission Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxembourg, Report No EUR5965 1978, 122 pp. Abstr in: CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-713). Report of the results of research performed with the financial support of the Commission of the European Communities. The introduction outlines the rapid advance in air conditioning in step with the increased depth of workings and progress in mechanisation. The results presented, based on data collected and measurements made in West German collieries, cover the following aspects: heat
transfer to the ambient air from the coal face and from coal extracted; energy consumption of, and heat emitted by, electrical equipment; programmes calculating the microclimate in a mine; thermodynamic parameters for calculating the microclimate, influence of mine ventilation and air flow rate in the roadway on the microclimate at the coal face; air flow rate in the roadway on the microclimate at the coal face; air coolers and calculation of their capacity; physiological study of the efficacy of cooled work clothes; insulation of cooled water pipes. 11.2.39 (78350)
Enander, A., Ljungberg, A.S., and Holmer, I. Effects of work in cold stores on man
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Sep 1979, 5.3, 1 9 5 - 2 0 4 . A work physiological study was conducted during three different types of work in cold stores, ie at dairies and in the cutting and packaging of meat. Peripheral cooling, especially of the fingers and hands, was noted in all the subjects. The work load was relatively light for the packers but varied considerably in the dairy work. In both dairy and packaging work, clothing was unsatisfactory in terms of thermal insulation and flexibility. The butchers were subjected to less cooling, as a result of a relatively intense but even work rate and clothing adapted to the work. The subjects were very capable of perceiving temperature changes in the peripheral parts of their bodies. Individual variations were considerable, especially with respect to cooling and the perception of temperature and discomfort. 11.2.40 (78353) Malchaire, J.B. The TLV work-rest regimens for occupational exposure to heat: A review of their development.
Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1979, 22.1, 5 5 - 6 2 . A comparison is made between two different approaches for specifying maximum allowable exposure time to heat stress conditions. A rational derivation is given for wet bulb globe thermometer limits for different work-rest regimens that are in close agreement with the ACGIH TLV recommendations. The significance of
these limits is discussed. A simpler version of the heat stress index is presented and the advantages of the two methods are compared.
Specialised and protective clothing and equipment 11.2.41 (78378)
Balieu, E., and Spindler, L. Performance testing for improving the level of respiratory protection in a fire brigade. Annals of Occupational Hygiene 1978, 21.4, 3 5 1 - 3 6 1 . Measurements under laboratory conditions of the total inward leakages of a compressed air breathing apparatus (without positive pressure), worn by 49 firemen, show that 16 of the firemen had minimum protection factors smaller than 2000. The influence of beards, sideburns, long hair and anthropometry on the efficiency of the respiratory protection has been established. Based on this performance testing, suggestions for improving the protection level of each fireman could be given after which all firemen with one exception obtained mimimum protection factors higher than 2000.
Work organisation 11.2.42 (78410)
Walker, J. The human aspects of shiftwork. Institute of Personnel Management, London, Department of Employment, Work Research Unit, London, Information System Abstracts, 1978. The introduction of shiftwork can have a tremendous effect upon the life of the shiftworker and his family. Some of the changes may be beneficial but many cause inconvenience and a few lead to stress. Managements who wish to introduce shiftwork are, not surprisingly, often faced with resistance to change. This book is designed to bring to the notice of people in industry the problems which management and workers face when the times of working depart from the normal day shift and abnormal hours of work are adopted. It looks at why, when and how shiftwork should be introduced and what the effects are on the shiftworker and how they may be eased.
Applied Ergonomics June 1980
111