ErgonomicsMini‐Project
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OfficeLayouttoAccommodate5DesignersProducedandPresentedby–KyiHlaWin(0856777)&KyawSoeHein(0856566) Devan(0765310)
Overview
AglimpseinsidetheofficesofthedowntowndistrictofSingaporewillshowsomedirelackofergonomicprinciples.Singaporeisaverysmallbutlargelyeconomically‐growingcountry,whichmeansofficesare
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stacked compactlywithin the very little space provided. Officework and repeated jobs leave peopleexhausted.
A ride onMRT could explain all. In the morning among the crowds on train, people wear a tensedexpression.Fewofthemwouldlookhappy.Somewouldaccompanymusicfromthelittleearphones.In
theevenings,tiredfellowscomeinrushingforaseattoreston.
MaybethatindicatesaneedtoapplyErgonomicPrinciplesintheiroffice.
Onthisproject,ourgroupisgoingtocreateasmall, imaginaryofficethatappliesErgonomics ineverycornerfor5designers.
EverydayProblemsinOffice
Someoftheverycommoninconvenienceinofficesmaybe:
• Inadequatespacingbetweenobjects• Uncomfortableworkingpostures
• Poorlighting• Badventilation• Disturbingnoises
Workersgetinevitableconsequenceslikebackpain,eyestrain,stifffingers,andnumbthighsandlegs.
Severecasesproducepermanentphysicaldisordersanddisabilities.
Inordertominimizetheseeffects,ErgonomicsPrinciplesshouldbeappliedeverywherepossibleintheoffice.
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ErgonomicsPrinciples
Ergonomicsisthescienceofdesigningthejob,equipment,andworkplacetofittheworker.Properergonomicdesignisnecessarytopreventrepetitivestraininjuries,whichcandevelopovertimeandcan
leadtolong‐termdisability.
WorkplacescanbeequippedwithErgonomicsPrinciples,whichbringsaboutmajorimprovementsin
• Quality• Efficiency• Health
• SmoothOperationandLowerCost
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Also,therearefivegeneralaspectsofErgonomics.
• Safety• Comfort• EaseofUse
• Productivity/Performance• Aesthetics
OurOfficeLayout
Belowisagraphicalpresentationofourdesignforthesmallofficewhichaccommodates5designers,withaleaderandfoursubordinates.
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Oursimpleofficeincludesacomfortableandroomyloungetoacceptandwelcomeclients,aseparateareaforthesupervisortoreside,fourspacesfullyequippedforthefoursubordinatesandlastly,aseparatemeetingroomwithasetupforprojectionandpresentation.
AnthropometryData• Thecomputerdeskshouldhaveanadjustableheightaround65‐70cminrangeanditsarea
shouldbearound75cmx55cmforthebestusage.
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• Themonitorscreenandthepaperworkareplacedsothattheanglebetweenthemtowardstheeyeisnotlargerthan30degrees.Ananglelargerthan30degreescancauseneckstrain.
• Mostoftheworkingtoolsandstationary,suchaspens,erasersandstaplersarekept25cm
awayfromtheperson,i.e.withinhandreach.• Books,papersandothermaterialsare50cmofarmreach.• Thedesksurfaceisjustbelowelbowheight.
DesignofSeatsFordesignerswhoareoccupiedwithcomputersanddrawingsmostofthetimeshouldbeofferedthebestdesignofseattofittheirjob.
• Surfaceofthebackrestistiltedbackwardstomakeanangleof95degreestothehorizontal.It
shouldalsobeadjustabletoallowthepersontostretchhisbacktorelax.• Thetextureoftheseatisrough,yetcomfortable,topreventsliding.
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• Workbenchisjustbelowelbowlevelfortheeaseofshoulders.• Thebaseofchairisequippedwithsmoothwheelsandhas5legsforstability.• Thebasehasspecialdampvibrationresistance.
LightingPoorlightinghasasevereeffectonone’seyesight.Lowfrequencylampsproduceblinkinglightphotons.
Thejobofdesigningis,infact,optimizingfromvisionandrequiresalong‐termeyeuse.Therefore,theworkspaceshouldbebrightlyilluminatedwithoutblinking.
Ourhypotheticalofficeuseshighintensityfluorescenttubeswithhighfrequency.Also,theofficeissurroundedbyanumberoflargeglasswindowsfornaturalsunlighttoenter.Allreflectivematerialsare
positionedproperlysothatthelightingsetupisnotdisturbed(e.g.mirrorsandLCDscreenofcomputers).
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VentilationandHeatPoorventilationandheatcancausefatigue,discomfortandstress.EspeciallyinSingaporewhereitishot365daysayear,wehavetoconsidermuchaboutheatissues.
Tobeprecise,bodyheatshouldnotexceed38degreesCelsiusinanyworkingenvironment.Tosatisfywiththiscondition,theofficeissupportedwithanair‐conditioningsystemthatincreasesairflowand
reduceshumidity.Thesystemissetsothatatemperatureof25degreesCelsiusismaintainedinsidetheoffice.
NoiseAlthoughnoiseisnotmuchofanissueindesigners’office,asmallamountofdisturbancecangogreatlengthsinalteringtheefficiencyofone’sdesign.Exposuretonoisecancause
• Impairedalertness
• Disturbance• Stress
Ourofficehassound‐proofglasswindowstopreventnoisefromthetrafficfromentering,andthewallsaredesignedspeciallytoabsorbanyextranoisethatcanbegeneratedfromwithintheoffice(e.g.from
printersandmachines).
Outcomes
Ourlittleoffice,applyingErgonomicsinallareasoftheroom,ispredictedtohavefruitfuloutcomeswithintheparametersofsafety,comfort,easeofuse,productivityandaesthetics.Simpleandsmallyeteffective,thedesigners’residingplacefor5daysaweekwillhavethemcomingtoworkhappily,
workingsafelyandefficiently,andgoingbackhomewithsmilesontheirfaces.
Ergonomicsisthescienceofdesigningtheworkspacetofittheworker.Ergonomicsispossiblyalsothescienceofmakingpeopleworkhappilyandeffectively.Isn’tthatwearesearchingforanyway?
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SpecialthankstoourteacherMr.YapChinHooiforteachingusthismodulewith
extrakindnessandefforts,andmakingitfun!
ReferencesandProgramsUsedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergonomics
http://www.123sortit.com/BO/OD.html
IETextbook
AutodeskAutoCAD2008
TheSims3
