Physiological Basis of Machine-Paced and Self-Paced Work *

Abstract

Currently, the majority of the machine-paced jobs in industry are manned by younger workers while older workers are predominantly working on self-paced work. Laboratory research suggests the hypothesis that the above policy of allocating people to jobs results in lower physiological efficiency of the human body than may be possible to achieve through new policies of job design and manpower allocation procedures. Hence, this study is proposed to test the above hypothesis in industrial work situations.

In a statistically balanced, designed experiment 33 female operators, representing the age range of 28 to 64 years, performed in industry the same task at both machine-paced and self-paced performance for a total duration of four weeks. During the period of this experimentation, data was collected and analyzed on physiological costs (sinus arrhythmia, mean heart rate, blood pressure and rate of breathing) associated with the machine-paced and self-paced operation.

Results are discussed for the following: (1) comparisons between the stress levels associated with machine-paced and self-paced work for the younger and the older subjects, and (2) changes, over the working day, in work capabilities of operators which significantly effect the stress levels in work situations. Methodologies are proposed, the implementation of which may result in reduction of stress at work.

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