Ergonomic Survey of Household Tasks and Products

Abstract

The application of ergonomics in the home is a relatively neglected topic. Little has been written on this since the early 1970s and yet domestic technologies have changed considerably since then. This study reports a comprehensive Internet-based survey of ergonomic issues in the home, including the most tiring household tasks. Analysis of results for 385 respondents show that scrubbing, mopping, tidying/picking up, vacuuming and doing laundry are perceived to be the five most tiring tasks, a pattern not dissimilar to that reported in a household survey conducted some 50 years ago. Results can be used to identify areas of opportunity for the application of ergonomic design principles to the design of products in the home.

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