Integrated Job Design in the Introductory Human Factors Course

Abstract

Two different workstations are being utilized in the introductory human factors course: a workstation appropriate for typical blue-collar assembly work and a workstation appropriate for white-collar computer driven work. The white-collar workstation simulates a modern computer driven office job, with different factors influencing its productivity, such as speed, accuracy, noise, illumination, etc. The blue-collar workstation is centered around a typical carburetor assembly process found in the U.S. automotive industry. This is especially appropriate because of the large number of fairly intricate parts, the highly repetitive and rapid assembly process, and the need for power driven tools. These also happen to be the prime factors that are thought to increase the incidence of cumulative trauma disorders in U.S. industry. The students examine various tool parameters and are able to adjust the support of the tool with tool balancers, cut the detrimental impact of power tools on the hand, using the reaction torque bars and implement novel approaches, such as arm rests or arm slings as used in Sweden. Such an approach allows for the integration of traditional industrial engineering concepts with more modern human factors theory, for the ‘solving’ of open-ended problems and provides students with real-world applications.