A technique for recording and analysis of postural changes associated with thermal comfort

The recording of posture has a long history in the study of ergonomics, but has generally been concerned with the assessment of mechanical strain on the human body. This paper extends the concern to the thermal implications of posture. A change in posture can change the effective body surface area available for heat exchange with the environment and therefore the metabolic rate per unit body surface area. This effect is systematised into a method of postural coding which reflects the extent of changes in effective body surface area available for heat exchange. The paper reports a brief assessment of the extent of the effect of posture in normal office work and the extent to which posture is temperature-related.