Human Factors Engineering

Assignment 6 Solution

1 We have a population of 863 people and, based on the data given, can create the following table:

Shoulder problem No shoulder problem Total

Exposed 31 306 337
Non-exposed 24 502 526
Total 55 808 863

Incident rate = 55/863 * 100 = 6.4%

Relative risk = 31*526/(24*337) = 2.02

2 Given: Maximum grip strength = 250 N. Required grip force during carrying = 200 N.

Use the equation on page 271 to calculate the predicted endurance time T in seconds:
T = – 90 + 126/P – 36/P2 + 6/P3, where P = Forcerequired/Forcemax

P = 200/250 = 0.8. So, T = – 90 + 126/0.8 – 36/0.82 + 6/0.83 = 23 s.

The walking speed = 3 km/h = 3000/3600 m/s = 0.833 m/s. The distance is 300 m and if the man
is not carrying a suitcase this would take 300/0.833 = 360 seconds. He stops every 23 s, so he
makes 360/23 = 15.65 stops which must be truncated to 15 stops to switch hands. Alternatively,
we could calculate this also as follows: In 23 s he travels 23*0.833 = 19.167 m. He thus needs to
make 300/19.167 = 15.65 stops which must be truncated to 15 stops to switch hands.

Note that when he reaches his destination he does not have to switch hands, hence the truncation
of 15.65 to 15.

3 We have 10 subjects and again use Rohmert’s equation T = – 90 + 126/P – 36/P2 + 6/P3.

Before we can calculate endurance times we need to calculate the P values, P = actual/strength.

Strength, s Actual, a P = a/s Endurance, Ti

25 15 0.600 47.778
17 15 0.882 15.294
30 15 0.500 66.000
23 15 0.652 40.190
23 15 0.652 40.190
24 15 0.625 44.016
19 15 0.789 24.034
35 15 0.429 84.222
34 15 0.441 80.514
25 15 0.600 47.778
mean endurance = 49.002
SD endurance = 22.274
 The normal distribution gives us z values for 2.5 %ile and 97.5 %ile of –1.96 and 1.96
respectively.

So 2.5 %ile endurance time = mean – 1.96 SD = 49.002 – 1.96 * 22.274 = 5.34 seconds

And 97.5 %ile endurance time = mean + 1.96 SD = 49.002 + 1.96 * 22.274 = 92.66 seconds

4 y = 1.42 + 0.025 x, where y = VO2 = oxygen uptake (liters/min) and x = HR = heart rate
(beats/min)

a HR = 150 beats/min, so VO2 = 1.42 + 0.025 * 150 = 5.17 liters/min

b HR(max) = 200 – 0.65 * age = 200 – 0.65 * 37 = 176 beats/min

c VO2(max) = 1.42 + 0.025 HR(max) = 1.42 + 0.025 * 176 = 5.82 liters/min

d Relative workload = 5.17 / 5.82 = 0.89 = 89%

e Time to exhaustion for 80% relative workload is 18 min and for 90% is 9 min. Using linear
interpolation, time to exhaustion for 89% = 9 + (1/10)*(18 – 9) = 9.9 = 10 min

5 Calculate WBGTmean = ∑(ti * WBGTi) / ∑ti.

a. WBGTmean = (20*28 + 10*21 + 15*33 + 15*30) / (20+10+15+15) = 1715/60 = 28.6 °C

b. Figure 9.4 shows that for 25% rest we need to follow curve b. For heavy work WBGT should be
below 28.0, so the worker’s heat exposure is above the threshold.