Reducing discomfort in work with new products for glaziers
bookPart
Among glaziers, discomfort is high. Some years ago, studies of this sector level (Arbouw 1996) showed that glaziers had a physically demanding job. Windowpanes weighing from 50 to 200 kg are often lifted manually to the second floor.
Transporting the windowpane manually is frequently observed, and the sector organizations recognize the problem of high musculoskeletal load resulting in discomfort and perhaps even back injuries in the long run. Therefore, most companies agree that there is certainly room for improvement in working methods. However, changing working methods can be very difficult, and designing new methods consumes energy and time. Sometimes the workers do not see the necessity, sometimes the improvements are too costly, or sometimes the workers may refuse to use new working methods. Besides the difficulties in implementing them, it is of course important to find the most appropriate improvements aimed at reducing the major problems.
Transporting the windowpane manually is frequently observed, and the sector organizations recognize the problem of high musculoskeletal load resulting in discomfort and perhaps even back injuries in the long run. Therefore, most companies agree that there is certainly room for improvement in working methods. However, changing working methods can be very difficult, and designing new methods consumes energy and time. Sometimes the workers do not see the necessity, sometimes the improvements are too costly, or sometimes the workers may refuse to use new working methods. Besides the difficulties in implementing them, it is of course important to find the most appropriate improvements aimed at reducing the major problems.
TNO Identifier
277245
ISBN
0-8493-2830-6
Publisher
CRC Press
Source title
Comfort and design : principles and good practice
Editor(s)
Vink, P.
Place of publication
Boca Raton
Pages
73-84
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