Ergonomics checklists

The intention of this chapter has been to provide an overview of analytical methods for predicting and reducing human error in CPI tasks. The data collection methods and ergonomics checklists are useful in generating operational data about the characteristics of the task, the skills and experience required, and the interaction between the worker and the task. Task analysis methods organize these data into a coherent description or representation of the objectives and work methods required to carry out the task. This task description is subsequently utilized in human error analysis methods to examine the possible errors that can occur during a task. 

These include identification of process equipment and instruments, interpretation of the meaning of their values and trends, navigation through different VDU pages by means of a selection menu, etc. The common feature of these tasks is handling the display system to search and locate relevant process data. In this respect, "classical" ergonomics checklists (see Chapter 4) are very useful in facilitating performance of such tasks. 

TABLE 6 General Ergonomic Checklist to Prioritize Potential Problems... 

Plant Ergonomics checklist walk-through Investigator observes ergonomics and productivity, verified by operator... 

Table 6.17 Excerpt from Kock and Odehnal s Ergonomic Checklist (6-49]...

Healthcare Computer Wallstation Ergonomic Checklist (2009) (pdf download)... 

Cornell Digital Reading Room Ergonomics Checklist (CDRREC)... 

A User-friendly Computer Workstation Ergonomics Checklist (English)... 

There are many checklists that can be used to identify error-inducing conditions and ensure conformance with particular ergonomic standards, and the following examples illustrate the range of areas covered. 

Keyserling, W. M., Stetson, D. S., SUverstein, B. A., and Brouver, M. L. (1993), A Checklist for Evaluating Risk Factors Associated with Upper Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorders, Ergonomics, Vol. 36, No. 7, pp. 807-831. 

Such checklists are almost as old as the discipline. Burger and deJong (1964) list four earlier checklists for ergonomic job analysis before going on to develop their own, which was commissioned by the International Ergonomics Association in 1961 and is usually known as the lEA checklist. It was based in part on one developed at the Philips Health Centre by G. J. Fortuin and provided in detail in Burger and deJong s paper. 

Easterby finds that checklists can have a helpful structure but often have vague questions, make nonspecified assmnptions, and lack quantitative detail. Checklists are seen as appropriate for some parts of ergonomics analysis (as opposed to synthesis) and even more appropriate to aid operators (not ergonomists) in following procedural steps. This latter use has been well covered by Degani and Wiener (1990) and will not be further presented here. 

As a special-purpose technique in an area of high current visibility for human factors, the upper extremity checklist has proven validity, can be used by those with minimal ergonomics training for screening jobs, and takes only a few minutes per workstation. The same teeun has eilso developed... 

WAS Ergonomics Yoshida and Ogawa, 1991 Occupational Health and Safety Authority 1990 Cakir et al. 1980 Workplace and environment Short workplace checklists VDT checklist tested vs. expert... 

Audits, however, are not the only use of some of the data-coUection tools. For example, the Keyserling et al. (1993) upper extremity checklist was developed specifically as a screening tool. Its objective was to find which jobs/workplaces are in need of detailed ergonomic study. In such cases, summing across issues for a total score has an operational meaning, that is, that a particular workplace... 

Bainbridge, L., and Beishon, R. J. (1964), The Place of Checklists in ergonomic Job Analysis, in Proceedings of the 2nd I.E.A. Congress (Dortmund), Ergonomics Congress Proceedings Supplement. 

Keyserling, W. M., Brouwer, M., and SUverstein, B. A. (1992), A Checklist for Evaluation Ergonomic Risk Factors Resulting from Awkward Postures of the Legs, Truck and Neck, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 283-301. 

Checklists allow a novice to use the distilled expertise of others. Table 6 is a checklist to prioritize potential ergonomic problems it focuses on force, duration, and repetition for various body parts. 

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