Fitting The Human
This new edition undergraduate introductory textbook follows the motto of the previous versions: \"Solid information, easy-to-read, easy to understand, easy to apply.\" The aim remains the same: \"Human engineering\" workplaces, tools, machinery, computers, lighting, shiftwork, work demands, the environment, officers, vehicles, the home - and everything else that we can design to fit the human. The new edition is up-to-date in content and language, in data and illustrations. Like previous versions, this book is for students and professionals in engineering, design, architecture, safety and management and to everybody else who wants to make work safe, efficient, satisfying, and even enjoyable.
Prefacexiii
About the Authorxvii
The first page1
Section I
The human body
1 Body sizes 5
1.1 Our Earth's populations 5
1.2 Measurements 5
1.3 No "average person" 11
1.4 Designing to fit the body 27
Summary 29
Fitting steps 30
Further reading 30
Notes 31
2 Mobility 33
2.1 Work in motion 33
2.2 Body joints 35
2.3 Designing for mobility 43
2.4 Workspaces 44
vi Contents
Summary 51
Fitting steps 51
Notes 51
3 Muscular work 53
3.1 Physiological basics 53
3.2 Dynamic and static efforts, strength tests 58
3.3 Fatigue and recovery 62
3.4 Use of muscle strength data in design 63
Summary 67
Fitting steps 67
Notes 67
4 Body strength 69
4.1 Static and dynamic strength exertions 70
4.2 Maximal or minimal strength exertion 72
4.3 Hand strength 73
4.4 Foot strength 76
4.5 Whole body strength 78
4.6 Design for use preferences 79
Summary 83
Fitting steps 83
Further reading 84
Notes 84
Section II
The human mind
5 How we see 87
5.1 Our eyes 88
5.2 Seeing the environment 90
5.3 Dim and bright viewing conditions 97
Summary 102
Fitting steps 102
Further reading 102
Notes 103
Contents vii
6 How we hear 105
6.1 Our ears 105
6.2 Hearing sounds 107
6.3 Noise and its effects 113
Summary 123
Fitting steps 124
Notes 124
7 How we sense objects and energy 125
7.1 Sensing body movement 125
7.2 The feel of objects, energy, and pain 127
7.3 Designing for tactile perception 130
Summary 134
Fitting steps 135
Notes 135
8 How we experience indoor and outside climates 137
8.1 Human thermoregulation 137
8.2 Climate factors: Temperatures, humidity, drafts 143
8.3 Our personal climate 145
8.4 Working in hot environments 148
8.5 Working in cold environments 150
8.6 Climate effects on mental tasks 153
8.7 Designing comfortable climates 153
Summary 154
Fitting steps 155
Notes 156
Section III
Body and mind working together
9 Mental activities 161
9.1 The brain-nerve network 161
9.2 Taking up and processing information 170
9.3 Making decisions 175
9.4 Actions and reactions 178
viii Contents
Summary 181
Fitting steps 182
Notes 182
10 Hard physical work 185
10.1 Physiological principles 185
10.2 Energy consumption 186
10.3 Heart rate as a measure of work demands 191
10.4 Limits of human labor capacity 193
10.5 Designing heavy human work 197
Summary 198
Fitting steps 198
Notes 200
11 Light and moderate work 201
11.1 Physiological and psychological principles 202
11.2 Tiredness, boredom, and alertness at work 205
11.3 Suitable postures at work 208
11.4 Accurate, fast, skillful activities 211
Summary 217
Fitting steps 218
Notes 219
12 Task load and stress 221
12.1 Task load 221
12.2 Mental workload 224
12.3 Distress 225
12.4 Underload and overload 227
12.5 Psychophysical assessments of task loads 228
Summary 231
Fitting steps 232
Notes 232
Contents ix
Section IV
Organizing and managing work
13 Working with others 235
13.1 Getting along with others 236
13.2 Motivation and behavior 238
13.3 Task demands, job rewards 242
Summary 244
Fitting steps 245
Notes 245
14 The organization and you 247
14.1 The human is in the center 247
14.2 Organizational strategy 249
14.3 Organizational structure 250
14.4 Organizational conduits 252
14.5 Organizational regulations and rules 252
14.6 Organizational culture 253
14.7 Individual thoughts, feelings, and behavior 254
14.8 A good place to work 256
Summary 257
Fitting steps 258
Notes 259
15 Working hours and sleep 261
15.1 Circadian body rhythms 261
15.2 Sleep 264
15.3 Rest pauses and time off work 269
15.4 Daily and weekly working time 271
Summary 276
Fitting steps 277
Further reading 277
Notes 277
x Contents
16 Night and shift work 279
16.1 Organizing shift work 281
16.2 Three basic solutions for shift work 282
16.3 Shift patterns 284
16.4 Selecting suitable shift systems 285
Summary 286
Fitting steps 287
Notes 287
Section V
Human engineering
17 Designing the home 291
17.1 Designing for mother and child 292
17.2 Designing for impaired and elderly persons 293
17.3 Access, walkways, steps, and stairs 293
17.4 Kitchen 294
17.5 Bedroom, bath, and toilet 295
17.6 Lighting, heating, and cooling 297
17.7 Home office 297
Summary 301
Notes and more information 302
18 Office design 303
18.1 Office spaces 304
18.2 The physical environment 307
18.3 Office furniture 317
18.4 Ergonomic design of the office workstation 322
Summary 330
Notes and more information 333
19 Computer design and use 337
19.1 Sholes' typewriting machine with its
QWERTY keyboard 338
19.2 From typewriter to computer keyboard 339
19.3 Human factors considerations for keyboarding 341
Contents xi
19.4 Input-related anthromechanical issues 345
19.5 Possible design solutions 346
19.6 Design alternatives for keyboards 349
19.7 Designing for new syntax and diction 350
19.8 Designing smart software 351
19.9 Designs that combine solutions 351
Summary 352
Notes and more information 353
20 Workplace design 355
20.1 Sizing the workplace to fit the body 355
20.2 On the feet or sitting down? 358
20.3 Manipulating, reaching, grasping 361
20.4 Displays and controls 364
Summary 369
Notes 370
21 Load handling 371
21.1 Material handling strains the body 371
21.2 Body capabilities related to load handling 372
21.3 Assessing load handling capabilities 375
21.4 NIOSH's lifting and lowering guidelines 378
21.5 Liberty Mutual's material handling guidelines 379
21.6 Designing for easy load handling 381
Summary 385
Notes 387
22 Healthcare for patients and providers 391
22.1 Patient care and safety 392
22.2 Care staff performance and safety 392
22.3 Emergency medical services, paramedics,
first aid physicians, ambulances 393
22.4 Design of wheelchairs and hospital beds 394
22.5 Moving patients 395
22.6 Medication alerts 397
22.7 Electronic personal and health records 398
22.8 Medical devices 399
22.9 Stress in the workplace 399
22.10 Safety guidelines, standards, and laws 400
xii Contents
Summary 400
Notes 401
23 Autonomous automobiles: Emerging ergonomic
issues 405
23.1 Road travel by automobile 406
23.2 Reasons for reengineering road traffic 406
23.3 Better ergonomics 407
23.4 New technologies-New ergonomic challenges 410
Summary 412
Notes 413
24 Making work efficient and pleasant 415
24.1 Using our skills and interests; getting along
with others at work 415
24.2 Setting up our own work, workplace,
and work environment 419
Summary 424
Notes and more information 425
The last page 427
References 429
Index 445
Karl H. E. Kroemer is professor emeritus of industrial and systems engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia. He was a member of the Committee on Human Factors of the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. He was an elected fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and of the Ergonomics Society. Dr. Kroemer earned a BS, an MS, and a PhD in mechanical engineering, from Technical University Hannover, Germany. He has authored or coauthored over 200 publications and articles on various human factors, ergonomics, and physiology topics.