PubMed · 4465101
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D Ferguson, J Duncan. 1974. Keyboard design and operating posture.. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140137408931420
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature and causes of human errors in the intensive care unit (ICU), adopting approaches proposed by human factors engineering. The basic assumption was that errors occur and follow a pattern that can be uncovered. DESIGN: Concurrent incident study. SETTING: Medical-surgical ICU of a university hospital. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two types of data were collected: errors reported by physicians and nurses immediately after an error discovery; and activity profiles based on 24-hr records taken by observers with human engineering experience on a sample of patients. During the 4 months of data collection, a total of 554 human errors were reported by the medical staff. Errors were rated for severity and classified according to the body system and type of medical activity involved. There was an average of 178 activities per patient per day and an estimated number of 1.7 errors per patient per day. For the ICU as a whole, a severe or potentially detrimental error occurred on the average twice a day. Physicians and nurses were about equal contributors to the number of errors, although nurses had many more activities per day. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of dangerous human errors occur in the ICU. Many of these errors could be attributed to problems of communication between the physicians and nurses. Applying human factor engineering concepts to the study of the weak points of a specific ICU may help to reduce the number of errors. Errors should not be considered as an incurable disease, but rather as preventable phenomena.
Forest work has been an object of systematic research for two centuries. The research includes studies of work methods and techniques, ergonomic aspects, field conditions, productivity, health problems, work safety, remuneration, psychological and sociological aspects of forest labour. Research in forest work originated in Central Europe but has since spread to all parts of the world. Viewing man and forest work from the 19th to the 21st centuries we can conclude the following: Until the mid-19th century forest work was carried out by human and animal power, aided by the force of gravity, water and wind. For man, it was one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs. Forest work demanded a large number of workers. The mid-1800s saw the beginning of mechanization of hard load motion in wood transportation. The mechanization of forest work is constantly increasing. Versatile multi-functional machines are introduced into various segments of forest work. Today, there is a wide range of work methods and techniques in forestry. At the same time, side by side, one can see forest operations performed entirely by human power and others, mechanized and fully automated. With the development of new work methods and techniques, and new forest products, the need for man's physical labour gives way to an increasing demand for general knowledge and expertise. Powerful, multi-functional machines, supported by information technology and operated by highly qualified professionals have stretched the limits of the sources of work energy and information flow in performance and optimization of forest work.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Practical problems from the point of view of ergonomic requirements at workplaces in the textile industry are presented. Health impairments are discussed as possible consequences of poor working conditions. Ergonomic solutions for a number of work operations have been proposed. It has been stressed, however, that with the technology currently in use great improvement cannot be expected in this branch of industry in the near future.