Driver's Workplace Research Articles

Study of microclimate indicators of a bus drivers workplace in the warm season of the year

On the basis of the developed methodology for the working conditions of a city bus driver, experimental studies of the microclimate in a bus of the Electron A18501 model were carried out. After analyzing the rolling stock of bus fleets in a number of Ukrainian cities, the city of Lviv was selected for research. Using a specially designed set of measuring equipment, the temperature, humidity, and air volume, as well as the level of CO2 at the bus driver's workplace were measured. The obtained results of the experiment can be further used in theoretical studies, and they can also serve as a basis for determining the capacity of refrigeration units for the buses under study.

ВИЗУАЛИЗАЦИЯ И АНАЛИЗ ИНФОРМАЦИИ ОБ ЭРГОНОМИКЕ РАБОЧЕГО МЕСТА НА ОСНОВЕ КОМПЬЮТЕРНОГО ПРОТОТИПИРОВАНИЯ КОНСТРУКЦИИ КАБИНЫ КАРЬЕРНОГО ЭКСКАВАТОРА

The authors conducted a study of the systemic relationships in the indicators of the driver's workplace ergonomics. The research focused on improving the efficiency of mining excavator control. The application of modern information processing methods, such as computer prototyping, allowed visualizing control objects with preliminary calculation of visibility, illumination, overall dimensions and the capsule-type cabin design of a mining excavator including an anthropomorphic manikin. As a result, the ergonomic designing system, that takes into account the industry-specific features of industrial mining equipment, has been developed and registered.

EFFICIENCY OF THE HEATING SYSTEM OF THE DRIVER'S WORKPLACE AND THE VESSEL OF THE WINDSHIELD OF BUSES

Introduction. One of the dominant areas of improvement of motor vehicles is to improve traffic safety. An im-portant aspect of bus safety is visibility from the driver's workplace, which largely depends on the condition of the wind-shield, especially the absence of fogging and frost, which often occurs at low ambient temperatures.Methodically, this problem is eliminated by blowing the windshield with warm air. Structurally, this is done by devices that, in addition to blowing the windshield, also supply warm air to the driver's workplace. Fogging and icing of the windshield significantly impair the visibility of the road driver, which is a great danger in the movement of the bus. Elimination of icing and fogging of windows provides an increase of visibility and guarantee of safety of driving.An important place is also occupied by the problem of reducing heating systems and blowing operating energy costs, improving the fuel economy of buses.Results. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the windshield blowing devices of the bus depending on their design features. As criteria in researches productivity of system blowing, its power consumption and level of noise loading of the driver are accepted.To select a fan with optimal characteristics when used in the device for blowing the windshield of buses and heating the driver's workplace, axial fans were tested. They are using in heating and ventilation systems of buses of different models. It is experimentally established that the fan of the Elko-A200-22 model (Italy) has the best characteris-tics. In the whole range of speed changes, the performance of this fan is much higher compared to other models of the tested fans, which, at the same time, have much higher specific energy consumption. In addition, the fan of this model is characterized by a lower noise level compared to fans of other models with the same outer diameters.Conclusions. Analysis of experimental data shows that the performance of the front heater with two fans and one fan is almost the same. At identical speed modes of operation, the productivity of two fans running in parallel is higher by only 3 ... 16.75%. When measuring the speed of air movement when blowing the windshield, it was found that the speed of blowing does not depend on the number of fans and depends on their performance and the diameter of the air supply hoses to the blowing nozzles.The reason for the lower efficiency of heaters with two fans is that at the outlet after the radiator, in the limited volume of the heater housing, two fans create a much greater aerodynamic drag (back pressure) than one fan.The use of one fan instead of two in the design of bus heaters reduces the electricity consumption of the bus and improves the working conditions of the driver by reducing the noise level at his workplace.

Ефективність теплорозподільчих пристроїв системи опалення салонів автобусів

Одним із домінуючих напрямів удосконалення конструкції автобусів є роботи з підвищення ефективності функціонування їх допоміжних систем, при цьому одночасно зі зниженням ними експлуатаційних витрат енергії, тобто покращення паливної ощадливості. На паливну ощадливість автобусів істотно впливають енергетичні витрати допоміжних агрегатів і систем. Щодо автобусів будь-якого класу, то однією із найбільших споживачів енергії є система опалення пасажирського приміщення і робочого місця водія. Встановлено, що реалізація завдання зниження енергетичних витрат системою опалення салонів автобусів є важливою проблемою під час проєктування й експлуатації автобусів. Отримано результати випробувань і здійснено їх аналіз щодо доцільності використання опалювачів салону автобусів з одним вентилятором, замість двох. Практична значущість досліджень полягає у зменшенні кількості електродвигунів з вентиляторами та зниження енергоспоживання системою опалення салону автобусів. Під час експериментальних досліджень проведено випробування аеродинамічних характеристик опалювачів з двома і одним осьовим вентилятором. Випробовували продуктивність за різних значень напруги на клемах електродвигунів та теплової ефективності радіатора обігрівача – температури повітря на вході і виході з обігрівача. За результатами експерименту встановлено, що продуктивність обігрівача із двома вентиляторами є тільки на 25 % більша, ніж з одним. Це явище пояснено на основі моделювання процесу з допомогою електричної аналогії. Обґрунтовано, що за одного і того самого типу теплорозсіювального радіатора, доцільно використовувати опалювачі салону пасажирських транспортних засобів із одним вентилятором замість двох. Причиною меншої ефективності опалювачів з двома вентиляторами є насамперед те, що аеродинамічний опір на вході двох вентиляторів є удвічі більшим, ніж на одному вентиляторі. Зі збільшенням продуктивності вентилятора теплотворність радіатора зменшується. Це пов'язано з тим, що зі збільшенням повітряного потоку через серцевину радіатора, зростання зняття повітрям температури з поверхні трубок радіатора перевищує інтенсивність теплообміну між нагріваючою рідиною і внутрішньою поверхнею трубок радіатора. Для збільшення аеродинамічної ефективності опалювачів салону доцільно зменшити аеродинамічний опір на вході у вентилятор, наприклад, застосуванням вентиляторів з високими аеродинамічними характеристиками.

FEATURES OF CALCULATION OF THE TEMPERATURE STATE OF THE BUS SALON

The safety of passenger transportation is not only to prevent accidents but also to ensure the conditions of health and efficiency of passengers and driver and the comfort of moving, which is guaranteed by the microclimate in the bus and the driver's workplace. One of the principal indicators of the microclimate is the air temperature in the cabin. The purpose of the work is to develop and substantiate the method of calculating the temperature of the bus interior.Unorganized air exchange due to body leaks (infiltration) influence on the thermal regime of the bus interior. Air exchange due to body leaks depends linearly on the speed of the bus. Heat loss through the structural elements of the body linearly depends on the outside air temperature.The calculation of the thermal state of the bus interior, in principle, is reduced to the estimation of the calorific value of the liquid heater, taking into account all heat losses in the cabin. The method of calculation developed on two indicators: experimentally defined coefficient of heat transfer of a body of the city bus and its inverse size, the calculated value of thermal resistance of unit of the area of salon of the bus. The thermal regime of the interior of a city bus in the conditions of winter operation is significantly influenced by heat exchange through the openings of open doors at short-term service stops. As for long-distance coaches, open the passenger door is much less. Therefore at the operation of buses of the specified class, it is necessary to give in salon-fresh air which needs to be heated.Since there are statistics on heat transfer of the body of city buses, the temperature of their cabins proposes to be calculated by the heat transfer coefficient of the bus body.In this method, the calculation depends on the heat transfer coefficient of the body. The supply and heating of air for ventilation are not taken into account, as the passenger door carries out air exchange in the cabin during bus stops.As calculations have shown, heat losses primarily depend on the temperature difference between the outside air and in the cabin. However, statistics on heat transfer of intercity (tourist) bus bodies are not currently available in the available publications. The temperature condition of intercity buses must correspond to the following calculations, inverse to the heat transfer coefficient of the body - thermal resistance per unit area of the bus.The method of calculating the temperature of the bus interior is substantiated. For city buses should be based on the calculation of heat transfer coefficients body. The temperature condition of intercity buses must be calculated from the thermal resistance per unit area of the bus interior. We proved that heat losses in the cabin of intercity buses, compared to city buses, are much lower due to the absence of heat losses at service stops at the exit and entry of passengers, which account for more than half of all heat losses. To reduce heat loss, the use of double-glazed windows instead of single panes has a particularly significant effect.

Experimental study of ergonomic properties of wheeled tractors with units of variable weight

Problem. Nowadays, one of the main tasks that tractor builders solve when creating new machinery is ensuring a comfortable driver's workplace. To ensure this, it is necessary to take into account the complex of ergonomic properties of the wheeled vehicle: comfort, smooth ride, vibration safety and more. Goal. That is why the purpose of this work is to determine the ergonomics of wheeled tractors when performing transportation of liquid cargo by trailer and semi-trailer tanks. According to many scientific papers, the redistribution of fluid in tractor tanks affects the dynamics of the wheeled tractor, especially when the weight of the unit is greater than the weight of the tractor. Therefore, it is advisable to study the effect of the amount of liquid in the tractor tank on the comfort level of the operatordriver. Confirmation of any theoretical studies must be accompanied by a whole series of experimental studies. Methodology. Therefore, in order to determine the ergonomic properties of wheeled tractors with units of variable weight, experimental tests were conducted on the base of a farmland. The measuring equipment consists of a mobile registration complex «VDVMM 4-001» and a radar sensor, which is designed to capture the true speed of the vehicle. Result. Based on the experiment, it was found that the standard acceleration rates, according to ISO 2631 (discomfort levels) for a single tractor and tractor with variable mass units (John Deere with MLT-16 and HTZ-150K with MLT-10), are subject to the level of “uncomfortable”. With the increase of the liquid level, both in the trailer tank and in the semi-trailer tank, it becomes “very uncomfortable”. Originality. The novelty of the work is the determination of ergonomic indicators of wheeled tractors with variable mass units and the dependence of the level of comfort on the height of the filling liquid tanks. Practical value. Therefore, based on the materials of this paper, it can be suggested that the in-depth study of the smooth running of wheeled tractors with variable mass units is feasible. In addition, the task is to reduce the external disturbance forces acting on the driver's seat.

Indicator method for the assessment of the occupational risk at the bus driver workplace

In the article the application of the indicator method for the assessment of the occupational risk at the bus driver workplace of the chosen communication enterprise was presented. For this objective the work tasks were identificated, which are performed by bus driver during the work shift, and next the potential risk was attributed. For couples tasks and risks the criteria of probability, exposure and effects, which show the real risk occupational including differences, such as length and type of bus route, number of stops, etc. were elaborated.

Truck driver - hazard analysis

The task of the truck driver to transport cargo is subject to the regula-tions and safety rules. Activities performed by the driver are connect-ed with the risk of injury, complications or even death. Taking into account employee safety, one of the most important aspects is to define safe working time standards that minimize the risk of fatigue during driving. The purpose of this article is to identify hazards and determine the occupational risk at the truck driver's workplace.

Working around it

Purpose The rail driver workplace is full of challenges for effective health management. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how known barriers in rail driving may be overcome by seeking enablers of positive health status and lifestyle. Design/methodology/approach Five focus groups were conducted with 29 rail drivers from four rail organisations across three Australian states. Transcribed data were analysed using directed content analysis and thematic coding to develop health enabler themes and categories. Findings Formal initiatives to manage health were piecemeal. Efforts to maintain health involved countering deteriorative, and promoting restorative, health factors. Themes systematically illustrated work environmental, adaptational, and autonomous features of health management. Participants expressed many different approaches to enabling positive health status, and how these connected to known barriers. Research limitations/implications Discussion of personal health issues within the rail industry is considered a taboo topic by some, therefore participants who took part in this study data may be more representative of health-conscious drivers. Practical implications Occupational health in rail can be enabled in multiple ways, including: improving social support, scheduling certainty, and cross-communication around health behaviours; increasing flexibility and environmental support for health behaviours; and directly promoting dietary control and physical activity engagement. Given the diversity and global representativeness of rail systems found within Australia, the findings have international application. Originality/value This study uses a strength-focussed approach to highlight multiple leverage points for organisational rail-driver health interventions across three levels of the system, helping improve health intervention efficacy despite the intractable nature of their environments.

Simulation of the dynamic characteristics of a fork lift truck travelling over an obstacle

In 1996, the EC Machinery Directive came into force. Under this directive, vehicle manufacturers are required to improve the safety of their products in taking into account all the available technical progress and to provide an information on the emitted vibration. In order to design machines and to know, roughly at this stage, the emission values to declare, a model of a truck and its tyres able to predict the dynamic response at the driver workplace in standardised conditions is a very useful tool. INRS initiated studies to develop such a model, which is used at present in two projects: the development of a low–frequency suspension cab, and the preparation of a vibration test code. This paper reports the methodology which was elaborated to build up this model. Firstly, the tyres behaviour was modelled separately and experimentally validated using a specifically designed single wheel vehicle. The whole truck was then modelled using a software for multi–body solids. Significant agreement was found to exist between the model predictions and the experimental results, provided the test conditions were not too far from those which were used to elaborate the model of the tyres. Further research is currently being carried out, especially with regard to tyre behaviour to extend the validity of the model over an extensive range of conditions.

Analysis of Factors Determining Ergonomic Conditions of Driver's Workplace and Safety in Transport of Dangerous Goods

The article concerns issues connected with the safety of the carriage of dangerous goods. Raising a subject was justified with the rising number of cartages of these goods and the same height of the probability of the appearance of the environmental risk and remaining road users. A specificity of the arrangement was analyzed driver-vehicleenvironment, paying special attention to ergonomic determinants of working conditions of the driver. In the article data of the National Police Headquarters concerning causes of accident involving dangerous goods in the road transport was also described. Exceeding the permissible speed, the non-observance of trac regulations, as well as the tiredness which resulted in reducing the psychophysical eciency for the driver were regarded as the root cause of accidents. Conducted analyses allowed to eect the preliminary selection of factors, which accepting the wrong level can constitute the cause of accidents.

User-centred interior design of a small electric vehicle using RAMSIS

Digital human models are essential for the development of vehicle interiors and driver workplaces. They can be used during the occupant packaging process to develop the seat, steering-wheel and pedals adjustment ranges to ensure optimal posture for occupants of different anthropometric measurements. However, digital human models can also be used to design the display and control concept during the early phases of the product development process. In this article the ergonomic interior design process of the electric vehicle MUTE is shown exemplarily. In addition to a discussion of different design principles of the driver's workplace, the simulation capabilities of RAMSIS and the tool RAMSIS cognitive are explained using the example of the design of a central touchscreen, which acts as the main input device for secondary and tertiary tasks.

Reducing non-collision injuries in special transportation services by enhanced safety culture

Previous research has pointed out that non-collision injuries occur among wheelchair users in Special Transportation Services (STS – a demand-responsive transport mode). The organization of such modes is also quite complex, involving both stakeholders and key personnel at different levels. Our objective was therefore to qualitatively explore the state of safety, as perceived and discussed within a workplace context. Focus groups were held with drivers of both taxi companies and bus companies. The results indicated that passengers run the risk of being injured without being involved in a vehicle collision. The pertinent organizational and corporate culture did not prioritize safety. The drivers identified some relatively clear-cut safety threats, primarily before and after a ride, at vehicle standstill. The driver's work place seemed to be surrounded with a reactive instead of proactive structure. We conclude that not only vehicle and wheelchair technical safety must be considered in STS, but also system safety. Instead of viewing drivers’ error as a cause, it should be seen as a symptom of systems failure. Human error is connected to aspects of tools, tasks, and operating environment. Enhanced understanding and influence of these connections within STS and accessible public transport systems will promote safety for wheelchair users.

Driver workplace trends

During the last 15 years vehicle interior electronics have become far more powerful. This development is set to continue into the future as well. The networking of various systems in the car and even with other features outside the car, called connectivity, is already bringing a rapidly increasing amount of additional information flow. This Continental paper summarizes the current challenges and implications to the driver workplace and provides an outlook on what to expect over the next decade.

Analysis of the driver's workplace in coaches related to passive safety

The risk to the bus and coach driver is considerably greater than that to the passenger in specific types of accident. Moreover, the protection of the driver is critical in maintaining the control of the vehicle and speeding up the evacuation of passengers. It would, therefore, be desirable for the driver's workplace to present at least the same degree of passive safety as that of the passenger. This paper presents research carried out by INSIA-UPM related to the improvement of the driver's workplace safety. Starting from accident analysis, the necessity of improving the passive safety of drivers is analysed. The main parameters that affect the driver's safety and some possible new tests are presented to protect the driver in the worst cases (front and rear end collision against trucks). Finally, some technological advances which we consider could be gradually incorporated in coaches are presented.

Stress and strain of short haul bus drivers: psychophysiology as a design oriented method for analysis

Psychophysiological measures offer objective information for workplace design according to user requirements. They are, however, rarely applied in industrial practice due to weak points from the designer's point of view, such as the differentiation of various superimposed stressors, inter-individual differences, and the effort required for data aquisition and handling. In this study a set of psychophysiological methods was used to analyse bus driver workplaces as a basis for redesign, and afterwards to evaluate design improvements. During inner-city operation bus drivers are exposed to a particular workload situation, especially due to the high density of traffic and bus stops. Their job is characterized by highly frequent and often simultaneous task execution, performed with a compulsory body posture and under exposure to vibration and noise. To reduce the workload related to the equipment and tasks of bus driving, a research project was initiated to design a new driver workplace that meets the specific ergonomic requirements of the drivers. A detailed workload analysis, consisting of a task analysis, a strain analysis derived from ECG measures and an eye movement analysis was performed during public bus driving in different cities and with different drivers and bus types. Although the results have to be considered as somewhat limited owing to the methodological restraints and conditions of a field study, they provided valuable guidance for design. A new concept for the driver cabin was created based on this database. After installation, this design was evaluated by similar psychophysiological measures. Comparison of the pre- and post results indicates that the redesigned work station reduced workload levels.

Anthropometric data for a driver's workplace design in the AutoCAD system : Grobelny, J. In: W. Karwowski, A.M. Genaidy and S.S. Asfour (Eds), Computer-aided ergonomics. A researcher's guide, Taylor & Francis, London, 1990, pp 80–89, 10 refs

Anthropometric data for a driver's workplace design in the AutoCAD system : Grobelny, J. In: W. Karwowski, A.M. Genaidy and S.S. Asfour (Eds), Computer-aided ergonomics. A researcher's guide, Taylor & Francis, London, 1990, pp 80–89, 10 refs