Applying the quick exposure check in the workstation design process, physical and virtual prototype assessment

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics and Human Factors
• Industrial Design
• Occupational Health

Background:

• The Quick Exposure Check (QEC) is a tool for assessing physical interactions in task analysis, focusing on four major body parts.
• It aids in identifying potential design-related physical strains during work activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply the Quick Exposure Check (QEC) as an ergonomic intervention for detecting pre-production design faults in an apple sorting machine.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of QEC in identifying and mitigating ergonomic risks through physical and virtual prototyping across three distinct tasks.

Main Methods:

• Administered the QEC questionnaire to Iranian participants interacting with the original apple sorting machine to identify abnormal postures.
• Utilized a focus group to assess a redesigned concept of the machine using the QEC.

Main Results:

• Initial assessment revealed high physical pressure on the back, shoulder, and arm during Task 1, very high pressure during Task 2, and static pressure on the back, arm, shoulder, and neck during Task 3.
• Post-redesign, pressures decreased from high to medium in Task 1, very high to low in Task 3, and very high to medium in Task 2, improving postural comfort.

Conclusions:

• Prototyping with QEC proved effective in identifying and rectifying ergonomic design issues.
• Redesigning the machine to balance static and dynamic tasks and adjust dimensions improved anthropometric fit, significantly reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.