Anthropometrics/Ergonomics in Commercial Buildings
Positioning things at standard heights and distances is very much a part of your world. It happens all the time and is usually just done as part of normal procedures without any real discussion or thought.
When things go right there is not much to say, but when things go wrong , ‘Oh My’ it stands out and people are not happy.
First of all, what are anthropometrics and ergonomics?
- Anthropometrics is the measurement of people
- Ergonomics is the study of people in their physical environment
None of us are identical but most of us fall into average categories of size and weight. The tailoring business knows the average sizes of people in their region/market and pre-make clothes to fit several standards.
A tailored suit may fit a person perfectly but a standard off-the-shelf suit will fit very well. Most people are close to a standard size and usually with small adjustments, clothes adequately fit.
In building design, we follow the same principles. People use tables, chairs and stairs that cannot be personalized and are designed to be used by many different people. What we are trying to achieve is position things where they perform well and are used safely.
When objects are located where they are awkward or ill-fitting, we are always battling to avoid injury and are greatly annoyed by them always being in the wrong spot. Left handed people may well recognize this as their permanent predicament.
As part of your office/factory design, you must consider who will use the rooms. Will they be people without disability who can reach high and low to switch a fitting on or off. What level of difficulty would a wheelchair user encounter using the same switch?
Can doors be designed a little wider to allow a wheelchair to enter the room, can a corridor be a little larger? Can an elevator be retrospectively fitted without major structural issues or can it be avoided completely by arranging all areas on a single level?
This can be designed from where people enter your business through every indoor and outdoor area.
Why not call Mark and discuss your project?
