The present study adopted a “field-laboratory-field” approach in the assessment of the efficacy of ergonomics interventions specific to two selected tasks evaluated in a South African automotive industry. Initial field testing was conducted in an Eastern Cape (South Africa) automotive plant where high risk areas were identified during walkthrough ergonomics surveys in conjunction with interaction with operators. Temporal factors and working postures of 12 industrial workers were recorded and observed, while physiological and perceptual responses were assessed. Two priority areas were focused upon for analysis, namely the Paintshop and Bodyshop with the former identified as being the more taxing of the two tasks. Responses of 30 students participating in rigourously controlled laboratory simulations were subsequently collected while completing the two tasks, namely the Paintshop Trolley Transfer (PTT) and Car Door Carriage (CDC) for participants. Working postures, kinematic, physiological and perceptual responses were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Following the laboratory experimentation a basic re-evaluation was conducted at the plant to assess whether the proposed changes had a positive effect on working postures, physiological and perceptual responses. The results of the preliminary field investigation revealed a prevalence of awkward working postures and excessive manual work in both areas. Laboratory experimentation revealed a notable reduction in task demands pre- versus post-intervention. The PTT mean lean angle for two-handed pre-intervention pulling observations of 23.7° (±3.51) was reduced to 13.9° (±2.21) post-intervention. Low back disorder (LBD) risk was reduced during the two-handed pull intervention (from 36.8% ±8.03 to 21.7% ±5.31). A significant decrement in heart rate responses from 103 bt.min-1 (±11.62) to 93 bt.min[superscript -1] (±11.77) was recorded during the two-handed symmetrical pushing intervention. The electromyography (EMG) responses for one-handed pushing and pulling pre-intervention showed the highest levels of muscular activity in the right medial deltoid due to an awkward and asymmetrical posture. CDC responses demonstrated that minor changes in the storage height of the door resulted in a significant reduction in sagittal flexion from 28.0° (±4.78) to 20.7° (±5.65). Predictions of average probability of LBD risk were significantly reduced from 50.3% (±5.91) to 39.8% (±5.10) for post-intervention car door lifting. In addition, the greatest reduction in EMG activity as a %MVC was achieved during sub-task ii (reduced from 35.1 to 13.7% and 30.5 to 13.9% for left and right erector spinae respectively) which was associated with the introduction of the transfer trolley for the door transfer phase of the CDC. Re-evaluation in the automotive plant revealed that the most notable change has been the implementation of automated ride on trolleys in the Paintshop. The Bodyshop area has also been modified to allow more effective job rotation and the step into the storage bin has been reduced via a “low-cost” stepping platform. Mean heart rate recordings were reduced from 94 (±9.77) bt.min[superscript -1] to 81 (±3.72) bt.min[superscript -1] in the Paintshop. Overall the results demonstrate the effect of “low-cost” interventions in reducing the physical stresses placed on workers in the automotive industry where much of the work is still done manually.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: When considering the attitude of a workforce towards their work and ways of increasing their motivation, attention must be given to their culture. Attitudes within In this study the influence of culture on the implementation of ergonomics was studied with specific reference to the transfer of technology in developing countries. Cultural diversity factors such as language/communication, religious beliefs, anthropometrics, educational background time, ethnicity values, attitude and values was measured using a specially designed questionnaire. It was completed by eighteen managers representing seven large industries in the Mpumalanga province. The cultural factor with the highest significance was 'time'. Others with high significance were educational background, attitude, language/communication and values. Ethnicity values, anthropometrics and religious beliefs were cultural factors which was not considered to be significant, however the population was very small and it is considered that they do contribute towards the implementation of ergonomICS. Training, imported technology and management are external factors, which make a useful and practical contribution to the subject of Ergonomics and the implementation thereof in organizations. If understood, cultural factors provide a much richer environment and different viewpoints, which can increase productivity by the effective use of technology. an organization are due to the attitudes that exist in the culture from which the members of the organization have come. Management practices, therefore, must cope with the attitudes and prejudices of the cultures within the organization. These cultures have been influenced by many factors like religious doctrine and history, not primarily concerned with the efficiency and productivity of the organization. Ergonomics aim at the optimization of the interaction between human and machine and the operating environment. This can provide the information necessary to promote an acceptable and efficient interaction between human-machine and environment in any form of a human-at-work system. In the process of technology transfer from Industrial Developed Countries to Industrial Developing Countries, emphasis is laid on economic progress. Although improvement of the economic situation and the standard of living is important to achieve, neglecting ergonomic considerations is both economically expensive and socially disturbing, thus creating negative effects in the country acquiring the technology. Ergonomics serve as a link between human factor considerations and the transfer of technology. A comprehensive systems model of Ergonomics was used, which indicates the interaction between facets emphasizing information as a core dynamic process, which can be useful to ensure optimality of choices of technology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wanneer 'n werkerskorps ondersoek word met betrekking tot hul houdings teenoor werk en wyses om hul motivering te verhoog, moet aandag geskenk word aan hul kultuur. Houdings binne 'n organisasie ontstaan uit houdings wat reeds bestaan in die kultuur waaruit lede van die organisasie oorspronklik kom. Bestuurspraktyke moet die houdinge en bevooroordelings van kulture binne die organisasie hanteer. Hierdie kulture is beYnvloed deur vele faktore soos geloofsdoktrines en geskiedenis wat nie primer gerig is op die effektiwiteit en produktiwiteit van die organisasie nie. Ergonomika het ten doel die optimisering van die interaksie tussen mens en masjien en die omgewing van funksionering, wat die nodige inligting kan voorsien wat nodig is om aanvaarbare en effektiewe interaksie te bewerkstellig tussen mens, masjien en die omgewing ten opsige van enige mens-by-sy-werk sisteem. In die proses van tegnologiese oordrag vanaf Industriele Ontwikkelde Lande na Industriele Ontwikkelende Lande, word klem gele op ekonomiese vooruitgang. Alhoewel verbetering van die ekonomiese situasie en 'n verhoging van die standaard van lewe belangrik is om te bereik, sal die verwaardlosing van ergonomiese oorwegings beide ekonomies duur en sosiaal verontrustend wees en gevolglik negatiewe effekte veroorsaak binne die land wat die tegnologie moet verkry. Ergonomika dien as 'n skakel tussen die menslike faktor oorwegings en die oordrag van tegnologie. 'n Omvattende sisteem model van Ergonomika dui op die interaksie tussen belangrike fasette van inligting as 'n dinamiese kern proses wat bruikbaar kan wees by die optimisering van keuses van tegnologie. In hierdie studie word die invloed van kulturele faktore op die implementering van ergonomika bestudeer met spesifieke verwysing na die oordrag van tegnologie. Kulturele diversiteitsfaktore soos taal/kommunikasie, gelowe, antropometrie, opvoedkundige agtergrond, tyd, etniese waardes, houding en waardes is gemeet deur 'n spesiaal ontwerpte vraelys. Dit is voltooi deur agtien bestuurders wat sewe groot industriee in die Mpumalanga provinsie verteenwoordig. Die kulturele faktor wat as die mees beduidend gemeet het is 'tyd'. Ander beduidende faktore is opvoedkundige agtergrond, houdings, taal/kommunikasie en waardes. Nie beduidende faktore naamlik, etnisiteit, antropometrie en gelowe is weI beskou as bydraend in die implementering van ergonomika aangesien die populasie wat gemeet is as relatief klein beskou kan word en moontlik in 'n groter populasie as beduidend kon meet. Opleiding, ingevoerde tegnologie en bestuur is eksterne faktore wat 'n waardevolle en praktiese bydrae maak tot die vakgebied en die implementering van Ergonomika. Kulturele diversiteit voorsien 'n ryk omgewing met verskillende uitgangspunte en indien dit verstaan word kan dit lei tot verhoogde produktiwiteit deur verbeterde gebruik van tegnologie.

The focus of this investigation was an analysis of the work demands being placed on South African automotive industry workers as there is a recognised problem with regard to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Preliminary work was conducted to highlight the dominant risks and areas which elicited higher numbers of MSDs within the chosen automotive plant. An area of concern was highlighted through medical record analysis and the use of risk assessment tools, thereby prioritising the need for ergonomic intervention. In particular, the effects of varying restricted and overhead work heights on the biomechanical, physiological and psychophysical responses of an individual were investigated. Twenty-eight subjects were required to complete sixteen conditions. The conditions consisted of the adoption of restricted and upright overhead static postures, with half requiring the holding of four kilograms of weight in the hands and the remaining eight conditions having no weight. Testing was carried out using an electromyography unit, ergospirometer and a perceptual Body Discomfort Map and Scale. This involved a habituation and testing session. The results of the testing revealed the biomechanical and physiological responses were dependant on the change in height. Body discomfort was also shown to be variable over the changing height conditions. This indicates that there is a significant effect of height on an individual’s responses during overhead work. The extreme restricted (-200mm and -100mm) and upright (+300mm and +400mm) overhead conditions within this study were limiting, as they elicited the highest muscle activation, physiological responses and body discomfort ratings. Positions that are preferable to adopt, which were identified from the results in this study, indicate conditions closer to head height (0mm and +100mm) were favourable. The results therefore illustrate how awkward working postures during work are likely to elicit higher demands from an individual, which could lead to an increased risk for the development of a musculoskeletal disorder. The added factor of weight elicited significant results over all variables, excluding a respiratory The focus of this investigation was an analysis of the work demands being placed on South African automotive industry workers as there is a recognised problem with regard to the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Preliminary work was conducted to highlight the dominant risks and areas which elicited higher numbers of MSDs within the chosen automotive plant. An area of concern was highlighted through medical record analysis and the use of risk assessment tools, thereby prioritising the need for ergonomic intervention. In particular, the effects of varying restricted and overhead work heights on the biomechanical, physiological and psychophysical responses of an individual were investigated. Twenty-eight subjects were required to complete sixteen conditions. The conditions consisted of the adoption of restricted and upright overhead static postures, with half requiring the holding of four kilograms of weight in the hands and the remaining eight conditions having no weight. Testing was carried out using an electromyography unit, ergospirometer and a perceptual Body Discomfort Map and Scale. This involved a habituation and testing session. The results of the testing revealed the biomechanical and physiological responses were dependant on the change in height. Body discomfort was also shown to be variable over the changing height conditions. This indicates that there is a significant effect of height on an individual’s responses during overhead work. The extreme restricted (-200mm and -100mm) and upright (+300mm and +400mm) overhead conditions within this study were limiting, as they elicited the highest muscle activation, physiological responses and body discomfort ratings. Positions that are preferable to adopt, which were identified from the results in this study, indicate conditions closer to head height (0mm and +100mm) were favourable. The results therefore illustrate how awkward working postures during work are likely to elicit higher demands from an individual, which could lead to an increased risk for the development of a musculoskeletal disorder. The added factor of weight elicited significant results over all variables, excluding a respiratory individual.