Advanced Ergonomics

Anthropometric Design Exercise

This assignment is designed to provide an opportunity to apply the concepts you have learned in the Unit I Lesson regarding the inclusion of ergonomics during the design process. Specifically, you will be using anthropometric data to develop design recommendations. 

As a recent graduate of Columbia Southern University’s Safety and Emergency Services program, you have just been hired as a member of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) staff for Aston Martin Lagonda Automotive Manufacturing located in Gaydon, England. Your first work assignment requires you to work with members of the facilities improvement team to develop design recommendations for new office workstations. 

Using the ergonomic design guidelines discussed in the unit lesson and the appropriate anthropometric data from Tables 3.2 and 3.4 in the course textbook, develop a proposal for the new workstations. Your proposal should be a minimum of two pages in length, not counting the title page and the references page, MUST include a copy of your computations/calculations, and may include graphics to illustrate your design. You are required to use a minimum of two outside sources; one may be the textbook. Your proposal should be written to your management and must include the following two parts:

Part 1:

• a brief introduction that identifies the nature of the work assignment;
• an overview of the importance of including ergonomics in the design process;
• an overview of how anthropometry can be used to address human variability.

Part 2:

Complete the following using the

calculation template

: 

• computations for the dimensions of the following:

  desk (height only),
  chair (must include a range of adjustability for the height, the dimensions for the seat pan, and the armrests), and
  computations for any other office equipment that you would like to include in your design proposal (optional);

• justification for your design decisions by identifying the user population for which you are designing, why that population was selected, the body dimension(s) selected for each computation, and the percentage of the population for which you are designing and why that percentage was selected.

Click

here

(see attache)to access a supplemental document containing information necessary to complete the assignment.

Your proposal should be a minimum of two pages in length, not counting the title page and the references page, MUST include a copy of your computations/calculations, and may include graphics to illustrate your design. You are required to use a minimum of two outside sources; one may be the textbook.

Using Anthropometric Data to Compute Measurements and Design for Target Populations

Things to remember when using Anthropometric Data

1. Determine the user population

2. Determine the applicable anthropometric dimension(s)

3. Determine the percentage of the population to accommodate

4. Compute the Measurement(s)

5. Determine if any special considerations should be given

Example #1

Determine the overhead clearance needed to accommodate most users in an office building in downtown Chicago.

1. Determine the user population

In this example, since the office building is in Chicago we will focus on U.S. data. Also, the doorway will be used by both males and females. In this instance, we would focus on male data since the male data is greater than the female data and would therefore accommodate the tallest female.

2. Determine the applicable anthropometric dimension

We are computing overhead clearance so we would use standing height or stature. (#19 from table 3.2 on page 68)

3. Determine the percentage of the population to accommodate

Since this is a clearance we would want to ensure that the tallest individuals could clear the doorway. In this instance we would want to accommodate 99% of the user population.

4. Compute the Measurement(s)

Using the formula

x = x’ + (z x sd) from 3.2 on page 74 in the text

x’ = 1755 (from table 3.2 on page 69 in the text)

z = 2.32 (from table 3.4 on page 75 in the text)

sd = 71 (from table 3.2 on page 69 in the text)

x= 1755 + (2.32 x 71) = 1,919.72 mm or 75.58 inches or 6.3 feet

5. Determine if any special considerations should be given

In this instance special consideration should be given as follows: (Figure 3.2 on page 68)

10 cm for walking, 2 cm for hardhats, and 5 cm for safety = 17 cm or 170 mm

Height of the doorway = 1919.72mm + 170mm = 2089.72mm or 6.9 feet

Example #2

Determine the horizontal location for the controls on a piece of equipment that will be used by most people at a seated workstation in an office building in Beijing.

1. Determine the user population

In this example, since the office building is in Beijing will use data for China. Again, although the equipment is being used by both males and females, we will focus on female data since they have the shorter arms and males would therefore be accommodated.

2. Determine the applicable anthropometric dimension

We will be computing the forward functional reach from a seated position. (#7 from table 3.2 on page 67)

3. Determine the percentage of the population to accommodate

In this example, we must ensure those individuals with shorter arms can reach the controls so we will be using the 5th percentile data.

4. Compute the Measurement(s)
Using the formula
x = x’ + (z x sd) from 3.2 on page 74 in the text

x’ = 753mm (from table 3.2 on page 69 in the text)

z = -1.64 (from table 3.4 on page 75 in the text)

sd = 35mm (from table 3.2 on page 69 in the text)

x= 753mm + (-1.64 x 35) = 695.6 mm or 2.28 feet

5. Determine if any special considerations should be given

In this instance there will be no special consideration given, therefore the controls should be located at a distance of 695.6mm or 2.28 feet away from the workers seated workstation.

Example #3

Determine the range of adjustability for a standing work podium to be used by female hostesses in a restaurant in Dallas.

1. Determine the user population

In this example, since the restaurant is located in Dallas we will use U.S. data and since the workstation will only be used by females we will only use female data.

2. Determine the applicable anthropometric dimension

In this example, we will be using the standing elbow height. (#21 from table 3.2 on page 68)

3. Determine the percentage of the population to accommodate

In this example, we will design to accommodate 90% of the user population so we will need to look at both the data for the shorter workers (5th percentile) and the taller workers (95th percentile).

4. Compute the Measurement(s)
Using the formula
x = x’ + (z x sd) from 3.2 on page 74 in the text

x’ = 1000mm (from table 3.2 on page 70 in the text)

z = -1.64 (from table 3.4 on page 75 in the text) for the 5th percentile

z = 1.64 (from table 3.4 on page 75 in the text) for the 95th percentile

sd = 52mm (from table 3.2 on page 70 in the text)

x= 1000mm + (-1.64 x 52) = 914.72 mm (5th percentile)

x= 1000mm + (1.64 x 52) = 1085.28 mm (95th percentile)

5. Determine if any special considerations should be given

In this instance special consideration should be given as follows: (See page 82)

25 mm to stature for shoes

Range of adjustability on the podium should be:

914.72mm + 25 mm = 939.72mm

1085.28mm + 25 mm = 1,110.28mm

939.72mm – 1085.28mm or 3.08 ft – 3.56 ft