Marcin Butlewski

Practical Approaches in the Design of Everyday Objects for the Elderly

Ergonomic design for elderly people requires consideration of factors relating to both the dwindling reserves of resources as well as the specific needs of the elderly. This requires the use of special techniques both in terms of data collection, for which methods of ethnography design can be used, as well as transferring the identified needs into product characteristics for which, in addition to traditional decision-making tools such as QFD, virtual modeling can be used successfully. The article presents the sequence of actions recommended in ergonomic design for the elderly in which the most important element is the observation of elderly people and the determination of the causes of their specified behavior. The article identifies a list of the most important ergonomic criteria for the design of everyday objects for the elderly which include: anthropometric characteristics, abilities of effectors and receptors, capacity, ability to process information, resistance to physical and organizational environmental factors, as well as tastes and personality patterns. Expanding on these criteria a design method is developed, and finally a practical example is described in which the method is used to develop solutions aiding the ergonomic accessibility of objects for the elderly.

Non-financial Factors of Job Satisfaction in the Development of a Safety Culture Based on Examples from Poland and Romania

Job satisfaction is a very important criterion which cannot be overstated, and it is, therefore, the subject of a number of studies. Satisfied employees often determine that a success of an organization depends on the level of employees’ perception in relation to which the workplace affects the attitude to the performed tasks. This model is the subject of an ongoing research by the authors of non-financial factors of job satisfaction in Polish and Romanian manufacturing (industry) companies. Among the studied factors affecting job satisfaction, there are issues related to occupational safety and ergonomics, and these in turn are main aspects of building a safety culture. The article describes the relationships between: ergonomic level and workplace safety perceived by the employee, safety culture, and the overall level of job satisfaction. The paper discusses the pilot studies carried out so far to verify research tools of questionnaires assessing the non-financial factors of job satisfaction. As a consequence of the interpretation of the results, the article presents the elements comprising safety culture in enterprises in Poland and Romania.

Heuristics in Ergonomic Design of Portable Control Devices for the Elderly

The prolonging life expectancy and, as a result of it, the growing number of people of elderly age means that more attention should be devoted to the design of ergonomic equipment which includes the needs of this group of customers. Elderly people often suffer due to poorly designed technical facilities, which discourages them from using equipment to improve the quality of their lives. The article summarizes the identified needs of elderly people in relation to control devices along with the general guidelines for the ergonomic design and design approaches for people with disabilities including: universal design, inclusive design, design-for-all, barrier-free design, and accessible design. Among the most important limitations of elderly people are included: reduced psychomotor and sensory efficiency and range of motion, decreased strength, and a decreased ability to remember. In this way a checklist is comprised of criteria such as anthropometric compatibility, ease of use and handling, transparency and visibility, tolerance for error, sensory substitution, and palpability and feelings. The list of identified criteria is evaluated by users resulting in a quantification of individual requirements. Based on interviews with users, an identification and classification is also made of the basic groups of control devices used by the elderly. As a result of these measures checklists are obtained to evaluate each group of the control devices, which examine the typical and commonly used devices in the Polish market. Some selected devices have also been subjected to an evaluation during arranged performance situations involving elderly persons. The information obtained during this is discussed within the article.

3D Laser Models for the Ergonomic Assessment of the Working Environment

The article presents an analysis of the applicability of 3D laser model technology in the ergonomic assessment of the working environment. The results show that in the case of 3D technology, it is especially useful to describe the changes in the working environment and the ways of performing work activities (deviations from the regulations regarding activities specified by the employer). The article also presents algorithms for the use of 3D laser models in many workplaces where one cannot plan the work tasks in detail, since they are flexible and often their course is changed. This applies to work such as that of warehouse workers, maintenance staff or mining work.

An Ergonomic Evaluation of the Adaptation of Polish Online Stores to the Needs of the Elderly

Recently websites have been a key intermediary in the exchange of information. The share of trade conducted based on online services transactions is also dynamically growing. Among people using online services and communicating this way, are now also the elderly. These are often people whose first contact with these technologies occurred during adulthood. Many of elderly people did not use a computer in their work, and their first contact with the Internet has been during their retirement. In conclusion, the currently operating focus in Poland on young online shoppers is faulty. With the increasing proportion of elderly people in Polish society and the dissemination of computer technology among them, the need for senior-friendly online stores will grow. The choice of this form of purchase will be decided by convenience, price, range of goods and delivery terms. However, the ultimate determinants of whether elderly users will enjoy the benefits of online shopping are the ergonomic features of services, particularly criteria such as: security, ease of use, rule transparency and ascetic aesthetics.

Stressful work characteristics, health indicators and work behavior: the case of machine operators

This article shows the results of research on psychosocial risks for a group of machine and plant operators (n = 1014) from the construction, chemical, energy, mining, metal and food industries in Poland. The Psychosocial Risk Scale designed in Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (NIOM) by Moscicka-Teske and Potocka was used to indicate the occurrence of general and specific occupational stressors and the level of their stressfulness. The results revealed that the studied machine and plant operators experience job context stress – related to working environment features concerning work organization – more frequently than job content stressors – related to the type of tasks they perform. Moreover, a correlation analysis between work features and the health and occupational functioning of the respondents revealed significant but weak relationships between the variables (from −0.08 to −0.23). Comparative analysis revealed the differences between the studied sectors. Such a comparison makes it possible to set goals for each sector and to attempt to improve the distinctive areas.

Implementation of TPM Methodology in Worker Fatigue Management - A Macroergonomic Approach

The article describes the use of TPM pillars: Focused Improvement, Autonomous Maintenance, Planned Maintenance, Quality Maintenance, Early Equipment Management and Training and Education, along with their implementation for the purposes of fatigue management. Among the various techniques used as part of TPM, the techniques that allow better control over the welfare and safety of workers are highlighted. The following methods proved particularly useful in fatigue management: Focused Improvement, where small groups of employees work together proactively to achieve a regular, incremental improvement in safety and fatigue management, as well as Training to establish responsible behavioral patterns in the management of fatigue of both employees and management. The article also presents a theoretical application of the Overall Labor Effectiveness (OLE) indicator, which is analogous to the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) indicator for the purposes of fatigue management.

Efficiency in Performing Basic Tasks Using Word Processing Programs by the Elderly as a Measure of the Ergonomic Quality of Software

Computers and the opportunities they offer are no longer the domain of the young, and the ability to use a multitude of computer software has become a basic skill both in private and professional life. Therefore, it is no wonder that increasing attention is paid to the design of interfaces adapted well to groups of users with specific needs, like the elderly. Such measures are broadly reflected in scientific works, however, commonly available software is rarely marked by an adequate concern for the needs of seniors. Additionally, the elderly usually gain access and opportunity to work on a computer during old age, being outpaced by their younger, and somewhat more predisposed to computer technology, colleagues. The prevalence of computer needs and growing number of elderly people means that seniors are condemned to using computers. How effectively and enthusiastically they will use them will be largely dependent on the ergonomic quality of the offered software.

A Multi-Criterial Hardware Assessment of the Psychophysical Capacity of Workers in the Investigation of Fatigue

The article presents a multiple-criteria-based evaluation of the suitability of selected measuring devices for assessing fatigue levels in miners during underground work in a bituminous coal mine. The changing levels of fatigue and decreased psychomotor performance influence worker reliability and susceptibility to accidents. Therefore, monitoring the level of fatigue can be a means of accident prevention. The study allowed to identify the physiological parameters that are relevant in monitoring worker reliability. A multi-criterial compartment establish most reliable fatigue indicators based on before and after work measurements: multi-frequency segmental body composition analysis, reaction time and recognition with Dufour Cross-Shaped Apparatus and analysis of changes in power grip strength.

Ergonomic Implications of Technological Innovations in the Development of Computer Workstations

Relentless technological progress creates change in the work environment, including that of commonly used computer workstations. Determinants of change in this respect are both the changes in information and communication technologies as well as the more often exhibited concern for the welfare of employees. Technological innovations derive from a multifaceted improvement of a specified element of the technical environment (e.g., contrast, energy consumption for the next generation of computer screens), with the assumption that they will bring a benefit in terms of ergonomic quality of working conditions. Technological innovations can, however, cause a deterioration of identified in advance or often unknown parameters of the working environment, in particular, they can have negative consequences for ergonomic working conditions. The analysis found that technological changes satisfactory from the point of view of ergonomics.