ABSTRACT

A number of sampling methods are used in industrial ergonomics to acquire information. The basic approach is very simple. It involves recording what is going on in a system at different times over some longer observation interval, and then using the observations to draw inferences about the system. The analyst classifies each observation as corresponding to a particular activity (such as setup, assembly, or maintenance tasks), or a system state (such as idle, down, operational, safe, unsafe, wearing or not wearing eye protection, etc.). The proportion of observations in each category is then used in many different ways. For example, the amount of time spent by a worker on a particular activity can be calculated by multiplying the observed proportion of time spent on the activity by the total time worked.