ILO/IEA Ergonomic checkpoints : evaluering van inhoud en gebruik in 'n opleidingsprogram

Date
1999-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The question arose with the publication of the ILO/IEA Ergonomic Checkpoints if the manual is going to be of positive use to rectify the poor usage of ergonomics in the past and to achieve the objectives that were set by the authors of the manual. Their was concern that the manual might be purchased by a person not familiar with ergonomics at all, which could result in ineffective use. The result could be that ergonomics could be seen as a field of study of little use to the business world. This study concentrates on the evaluation of Ergonomic Checkpoints as it is used in an industrially developing country such as South Africa. The primary objective of the study is to find to what extent Ergonomic Checkpoints is suitable to be used as a manual for use in a training program. Various factors were taken in account that could possible have an effect on the implementation of Ergonomic Checkpoints in a training program. The last objective of the study was to determine the usefulness and frequency of use of the manual. A questionnaire was developed to measure these factors. Various seminars on Ergonomic Checkpoints were presented in South Africa during 1996. The participants of this study all attended these seminars. Due to the time lapse between the last seminar and the commencing of this study, only 80% of the participants could be traced. The evaluation of the training program on Ergonomic Checkpoints were done based on the evaluation method of Kirkpatrick. This model of evaluation is done on four levels: the reaction level, learning level, behaviour level and result level. This evaluation was done mainly on the reaction level and to a lesser extent in the behavior and result levels. The reason for this is that no prior testing could be done due to the fact that there was no seminars conducted during the period of this study. Suggestions are however made as to how a full study in this regard can be carried out. The most important results of the study can be summarized as follows: • There are some shortcomings in the subject matter of Ergonomic Checkpoints. • Ergonomic Checkpoints can be used in a training program but will be more successful if it is tied to a systematic model to give structure to the training effort. • The manual is reasonably free of external factors, ego readability, that could influence the outcome of the training. • The frequency of use is not as high as expected, although the users indicated that the manual is a useful source of information on ergonomics. Suggestions are presented on how to increase the use of Ergonomic Checkpoints can be in a positive manner. Ergonomic Checkpoints is a good start to prove the worth of the implementation of ergonomic principles to possible users in industrial developing countries.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag het ontstaan met die publikasie van die ILO/IEA se Ergonomic Checkpoints of die handleiding van daadwerklike nut gaan wees om die toepassing van ergonomika te verhoog en aan die doelwitte wat deur die skrywers daargestel is voldoen. Daar is besef dat die kanse bestaan dat die handleiding aangekoop word deur 'n persoon wat nie vaardig in ergonomika is nie en dit nie effektief gebruik nie. Die resultaat is dat ergonomika dan moontlik gesien kan word as 'n vakgebied wat van min waarde en nut is. Die studie Ie klem op die evaluering van Ergonomic Checkpoints met die oog op die gebruik daarvan in industrieel ontwikkelende lande, waarvan Suid-Afrika 'n voorbeeld is. Die primere doelstelling van die studie is om te bepaal of Ergonomic Checkpoints geskik is om as 'n handleiding in 'n opleidingsprogram gebruik te word. In die studie word daar gepoog om te bepaal of die inhoud van Ergonomic Checkpoints voldoende is en hoe suksesvol die integrasie van die handleiding in 'n opleidingsprogram was. Faktore is ondersoek wat 'n moontlike invloed op die implimentering van Ergonomic Checkpoints in 'n opleidingsprogram kan he. Die laaste doelwit van die studie was om die gebruiksnut en frekwensie van gebruik van die handleiding te bepaal. 'n Vraelys is ontwikkel om die faktore te meet. Daar is in 1996 verskeie seminare rondom die Ergonomic Checkpoints in Suid-Afrika aangebied. Die deelnemers aan die studie het almal die seminare bygewoon. Weens die tydsverloop tussen die aanbieding van die laaste seminaar en die aanvang van die studie kon slegs 80% van die moontlike respondente opgespoor word. Die evaluering van die opleidingsprogram random Ergonomic Checkpoints is gedoen aan die hand van Kirkpatrick se evalueringsmodel van opleiding. Volgens die model word die evaluering op vier vlakke gedoen: die reaksievlak, leervlak, gedragsvlak en die resultaatvlak. Hierdie evaluering het plaasgevind op die reaksievlak, en in 'n mindere mate op die gedrags- en resultaatvlak. Die rede hiervoor was dat daar geen voortoetsing kon plaasvind nie, as gevolg van die feit dat daar geen seminaar plaas gevind het ten tye van die studie nie. Daar word egter voorstelle gemaak van hoe 'n volledige studie in die verband daarna kan uitsien. Die vernaamste bevindinge van die studie wat gedoen is, kan as volg opgesom word: • Daar is wei leemtes in die vakkundige inhoud van Ergonomic Checkpoints. • Ergonomic Checkpoints kan wei gebruik word in 'n opleidingspragram en sal meer suksesvol gebruik kan word indien dit gekoppel word aan 'n sistematiese model wat struktuur aan die opleiding verleen. • Die handleiding is redelik vry van eksterne faktore, soos byvoorbeeld die leesbaarheid van die handleiding, wat die uitkoms van die opleiding kan beTnvloed. • Die gebruiksfrekwensie is nie so hoog soos verwag was nie, alhoewel die gebruikers dit as 'n nuttige bran van informasie oor ergonomika bestempel het. Aanbevelings is gemaak wat die gebruik van Ergonomic Checkpoints op 'n positiewe wyse kan verhoog. Ergonomic Checkpoints is 'n goeie begin om die waarde van die toepassing van ergonomiese beginsels aan moontlike gebruikers in industrieel ontwikkelende lande tuis te bring.
Description
Study project (M. Econ.) -- University of Stellenbosch, 1999.
Keywords
Ergonomic checkpoints, Human engineering -- Study and teaching, Employees -- Training of -- Evaluation, Human engineering -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. -- Evaluation, Employees, Training of -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. -- Evaluation, Dissertations -- Industrial psychology
Citation