Assessment of mine action shock absorption chair of the crew member of fighting vehicle on compliance to ergonomic requirements

Abstract

Effectiveness of protection of crew members of armoured equipment against blasting of antivehicle mine depends not only from antistriking characteristics of the chair, but also from its ergonomic characteristics and from the ability of crew members to use protection means properly. The ergonomic characteristics of mine action shock absorption chair were examined analytically – the chair characteristics were compared with the demands of normative documents and by experimental way – in experiments with subjects. Geometrical characteristics of the developed mine action shock absorption chair for protection of crew members of armoured equipment against blasting of antitransport mine generally conforms to requirements of GOST 2188976 «The person operator’s chair. General ergonomic requirements». Differences from requirements of GOST do not conduct to decrease in its ergonomic characteristics. The design of chair fastened system allows to adjust independently belts of fastened system and quickly be recorded in a chair. In the study with participation of 15 subjects it is established that 30minute stay in a chair in summer and winter equipment does not conduct to serious violations of convenience and does not cause noticeable decrease in health, activity and mood of subjects. Placement in winter equipment is a little more comfortable, than in summer equipment. The greatest inconvenience noted by the subjects is connected with the head restraint design, in insufficient degree providing the head support. So, in spite of several small shortcomings, the model of mine action shock absorption chair showed the acceptable level of ergonomic characteristics and in allows to recommend it for conducting further dynamic tests.