University of Benghazi Faculty of Engineering

Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Department

IE464 - Human Factors Engineering Fall 2017

Assignment 3: Work Physiology

1. The energy-expenditure rate of a physical work is 7.5 kcal/min and the work is performed by
healthy male and female workers on an 8-hour shift basis.
a. How would you classify the level of physical effort required by this work?
b. Should the workers perform this work for 8 hour without rest? If not, determine the
required work-rest schedule.

2. The energy-expenditure rate of a physical work is 6 kcal/min and the work is performed by a
healthy female worker on an 8-hour shift basis.
a. Should the worker perform this work for 8 hours without rest? If not, determine the
required work-rest schedule.
b. Could a male worker with VO2max = 4 L/min perform this work for 8 hours without rest?
Justify your answer.

3. Using the step method you have practiced in the related lab session, estimate VO2max for
individuals with the following test results:

Individual
Measurements
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Gender female female male

Individual’s weight in Kg 60 65 70

Individual’s age in years 25 35 50

Step height (cm) 20 15 10

Average frequency of stepping (steps/min) during steady state 27 25 22

Individual's average heart rate (bmp) during steady state 110 115 125

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4. Information of a step-test is given in the table.

Measurement Value

Gender female

Individual’s weight in Kg 55

Individual’s age in years 21

Step height (cm) 25

Average frequency of stepping (steps/min) during steady state 20

Individual's average heart rate (bmp) during steady state 115

a. Estimate VO2max.
b. How would you classify the level of physical effort required by this test?
c. Should this individual perform a work with similar level of physical effort for 8 hours
without rest? If not, determine the required work-rest schedule.

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