Recommendations for the ergonomic

design of workposts at computer

terminals; stress factors of computer
terminal work (eye strain, immobile
posture, etc); visual task and lighting;
work posture required working space;
design and layout principles (adjustable
seat, table, keyboard, screen, printer,
disadvantages of bifocal lenses, lighting
levels and contrast, etc); model workpost
(job analysis, choice of location,
position of screen in relation to keyboard,
to printer, to telephone, etc). Checklist for setting up these workposts.
9.1.31 (72835)

Peters, T.
Work studies at the office - A handbook
on occupational health and ergonomics
in offices (Arbeitswissenschaft fur die
Buropraxis - Ein Handbuch der BuroMedizin und -Ergonomie). (In German.)
Friedrich Kiehl Verlag GmbH,
Ludwigshafen, Germany, 2nd Ed, 1976,
540 pp; abstr in CIA Abstracts (CIS
77-861).
This manual considers the problems
arising in workplace design and work
organization in offices, taking into
account the complex relations between
work studies and occupational medicine,
and between technical design and the
organization of office work. Brief
comments on the importance of
ergonomics in office work, and a
number of definitions, are followed
by sections devoted to: mental and
physical health problems; human
organs particularly subject to stress,
their functions and possibilities of
health impairment; adaptation of
work organization to man, including
hours of work and rest breaks; adaptation
of furniture and equipment to the
worker; adaptation of work
environment to man (ergonomics and
occupational medical aspects: air
conditioning, lighting, acoustics,
individual and open-plan offices);
adaptation of human working capacity
to conditions of work in offices.
Appendices: extracts from regulations,
directives, rules, standards, etc in force
in the Fed Rep of Germany;
ergonomics check-list (440 items);
psychological tests.
9.1.32 (72836)

Robinson, J., Piccione, D., and

Lamers. G.
Locomotive cab design development.
Volume I. Analysis of locomotive cab
environment and development of cab
design alternatives. Interim report
Oct 1974 - Apr 1976. Oct 1976,
203 pp; abstr in Government Reports
Announcements (Report No PB-262
976/4GA).
The report presents an analysis of
the line haul freight engineers working

and living environment, the resultant

locomotive cab design on a delineation
of functional requirements found in
current line haul operations together
with those additional requirements
which could arise during the next
1 0 - 1 5 years. The recommended design
is the result of a detailed human factors
engineering analysis of these
requirements according to state-of-theart criteria and system design practices.
Substantial engineering analysis was
devoted to the recommended design;
this included disciplines of cost,
occupant protection, component and
subsystem reliability, and system safety
analysis.

design of such furniture and to evaluate

any such changes. Presentations are
made of the methods adopted for this
investigation (selection of subjects,
techniques of observation and analysis
etc), the results obtained from
measurement and observation, and the
conclusions.
9.1.35 (72849)
Pfanth, M.J., and Miller, J.M.
Work surface friction coefficients:
A survey of relevant factors and
measurement methodology. Journal
of Safety Research, Jun 1976, 8.2,
7 7 - 9 0 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIS
77-606).

9.1.33 (72837)

Seminara, J.L., Gonzalez, W.R., and

Parsons, S.O.
Human factors review of nuclear
power plant control room design.
Summary report. Nov 1976, 39 pp;
abstr in Government Reports
Announcements (Report No PB-261
847/8GA).
Human factors engineering is an
interdisciplinary speciality concerned
with influencing the design of
equipment systems, facilities, and
operational environments to promote
safe, efficient, and reliable
operator performance. The human
factors aspects of five representative
nuclear power plant control rooms
were evaluated using such methods as
a checklist guided observation system,
structured interviews with operators
and trainers, direct observations of
operator behaviour, task analyses and
procedure evaluation, and historical
error analyses. The human factors
aspects of design practices are illustrated,
and many improvements in current
practices are suggested. The study
recommends that a detailed set of
applicable human factors standards be
developed to stimulate a uniform and
systematic concern for human factors
in design considerations.

The coefficient of friction between

a shoe sole and the floor surface
determines floor surface slipperiness
and the potential risk.Factors that
affect the coefficient of friction are
grouped into work surface factors,
human factors and task factors. Several
methods to measure floor friction are
tabulated and discussed (horizontal
track, pendulum machines, slip
resistance testers, subjective
evaluation), and some factors affecting
the value of the data are pointed out.
Some important factors for the
establishment of a safe coefficient of
friction are studied in the light of the
literature: the task and forces involved
psychopliysiological factors, floor
conditions and materials, shoe design
and sole material, floor coating.
Recommended minimum safe friction
coefficients in the literature are between
0.2 and 0.5. Further research areas are
outlined.

Noise
9.1.36 (72899)

International Labour Office, Geneva.

Protection of workers against noise and
vibration in the working environment.
ILO, Geneva, 1977, 74 pp.

Among the many factors that

contribute to the deterioration of the
working environment, noise and
9.1.34 (72844)
vibration have an important place.
Ward, J.S., and Mabey, M.H.
This code of practice, adopted at a
Support for European Standard on
meeting of experts convened by the
optimum dimensions of office
ILO, sets out the principles that
furniture. TRC Report No T77-2941;
Loughborough University of Technology, should be followed for the control of
workplace noise and vibration, and
Human Sciences Department,
contains the information required for
Loughborough, Report, Mar 1977,
the establishment of control programmes
83 pp; abstr in R and D Abstracts.
for individual plants.
Examines the activities and related
postures of male and female office
workers representing a range of
occupational groups and a range of
body sizes, in order to determine the
suitability in terms of comfort and
9.1.37 (72909)
convenience of their current office
Stayner, R.bl., and Hilton, D.J.
furniture, and if necessary, to propose
Protecting the tractor driver from lowmodifications and improvements in the
frequency ride vibration. TRC Report

Vibration

Applied Ergonomics

March 1978

43