Affiliations: Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Dorothee Müglich, Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany. Tel.: +49 6151 16 2491; Fax: +49 6151 16 3488; E-mail:[email protected]
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Due to demographic change, less young workers are
available and the overall number of workers will decrease. The length of
absenteeism, especially due to musculoskeletal disorders, increases with
higher age. OBJECTIVE: The range of performance between individuals grows wider
although there are exceptions for different capabilities and elderly
workers. Therefore, a capability-appropriate workplace design is necessary
to meet physical workplace demands in the manufacturing industry and in
order to preserve the workability of the workforce. METHODS: The human-centred design process was used to provide a
design solution that meets the needs of the workplace designers. The design
solutions are evaluated three times. RESULTS: The high number of capabilities with a wide range of
individual performance can be best captured and represented in a database.
Therefore, a database is developed in which relevant physical manufacturing
capabilities are collected and processed for workplace designers. Based on
this information, design solutions for a prospective capability-appropriate
workplace design can be derived relative to the age structure of the
manufacturing plant. CONCLUSIONS: This gives the workplace designer propositions on how
to plan their workplaces so as to avoid excessive stress and musculoskeletal
disorders in the employees.
Keywords: Elderly worker, work-related capabilities, database for workplace design