The objectives of this paper are to experimentally investigate the effect of work conditions, viz. work methods, direction of hand movements and height of the work table, on work efficiency of a selected simple two-handed motions, and to recommend an improved work area design in terms of work conditions and work methods.
The results of experiments show that symmetrical motions are more efficient than asymmetrical motions but only by 10%, an optimal height of the work table exists around the height of the elbow of workers, and desirable directions of motions exists somewhere between the angles which are 30 degree and 60 degree to the body of a worker. It was confirmed that conventional definition of the efficient work area, which is based primarily upon the limiting circles of hand stretch, is not necessarily sufficient for designing efficient work area.
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