Topic 1.1: Ergonomics Questions

Which dimension should be set from the 95th percentile?

A manufacturer redesigns a domestic kettle. Describe three ways in which improved ergonomics could make the kettle a better product, using a different one of the five named improvements each time.

Protective gloves are sized using data collected only from young male factory workers. Which factor is MOST likely to cause a poor fit for the wider workforce?

A bittering agent is added to liquid detergent capsules. Which design purpose does this serve?

Which physiological limit most directly sets how close together two push-buttons can be placed?

Which of the following is part of the definition of ergonomics?

A warehouse trolley handle is reshaped so that it can be pushed without bending the wrist. Which improvement is this?

A school is buying equipment for a science laboratory: stools used by different classes each hour, and safety goggles issued to each student for the year. Explain which fitting strategy suits each, and why.

A touchscreen ticket machine works well indoors but is unreadable in direct sunlight at an outdoor station. Which relationship has failed?

A till operator scans an item every few seconds. Where should the scanner be placed?

Which change to a hand drill would most clearly make it SAFER rather than merely more comfortable?

An alarm is specified as audible at 65 dB. Why is this specification on its own insufficient?

A hospital porter pushes a linen trolley along corridors and into lifts. The trolley is comfortable to push but frequently catches on the lip at the lift door. Explain, using the three parts of ergonomics, why this trolley is ergonomically poor.

A cycle helmet uses three shell sizes AND an adjustable internal cradle. What does the cradle add that the shell sizes cannot?

Which measurement is an example of DYNAMIC anthropometric data?

A machine shows its state with a red or green light only. Which physiological limitation does this ignore?

A domestic boiler shows its status with one small light: green for running, red for fault. Explain two physiological limitations this ignores, and suggest a change for each.

Why is anthropometric data expressed as a percentile range rather than a single average value?

Which physiological factor explains why a jar lid that a rested tester can open may still be a poor design?

A workstation is designed using a national dataset collected in 1975 and today misfits many of its users. What is the most likely reason?