Human behaviour when climbing ladders with varying inclinations

Abstract

All technical measures to develop machines and implements must remain incomplete unless they are adapted to human factors. This involves man's body dimensions, normal body posture and motion as well as behaviour. Thus, an ergonomie workplace is a major prerequisite of a safe workplace. Behavioural studies are necessary especially with those routine activities that are carried out almost automatically. Multi-factorial motion and work experiments facilitate the assessment and optimization of the various components of a workplace or an implement. Accordingly an experiment was conducted to study the effect of varied inclination of a standard portable straight ladder upon the behaviour of persons ascending and descending. There were two main objectives: 1. (1) The study should contribute to safety of ladder climbing as a prototype of routine activities. Therefore, conditions were to be determined that were adapted to anthropométrie and biomechanical factors, such as body size, motions and forces. They should allow natural human behaviour and thus minimize accident risk. 2. (2) The basic results from ergonomically favourable ladder climbing should be applicable to the design of safe access systems for farm vehicles, especially tractors, since they are as steep as ladders. Furthermore, methodological knowledge should be gained about valid and reliable criteria to report and assess movements and their coordination while mounting and dismounting vehicles.