Citation

Chen JG, Peacock JB, Schlegel RE. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1989; 3(3): 167-176.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes an observational method of physical work stress analysis which has the ease of application of traditional work study techniques but with greater account of human and task variables. The technique involves the process of activity sampling of various physical components of work, including body location, support base, orientation, hand position, acceleration and thermal load. Component weighting is achieved by expert judgement, and the results of investigations indicate good correlations with both subjective and physiological predictors of physical work stress. A final facility of this method is the adoption of a novel polar graph display medium in which the sector angles represent the component weights and the radii represent the measured values. Thus, the physical work stress profile is represented both by area and shape characteristics of the display to indicate the instantaneous load and static / dynamic load balance.