title: Effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and work efficiency in refuse collecting.
abstract: The effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and the work efficiency in refuse collecting was studied in order to design an optimal gathering point for two-wheeled containers. Three sizes of gathering points were investigated, i.e. with 2, 16 and 32 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point. The collecting of two-wheeled containers was simulated in a test circuit. The energetic workload was quantified by the parameters oxygen uptake (1 min(-1)), heart rate (beats min(-1)) and perceived exertion. The work efficiency was quantified as the time it took to collect 32 two-wheeled containers per time period. The maximum acceptable amount of two-wheeled containers collected during an 8-h working day was estimated using the energetic criterion of a maximum oxygen uptake of 30% VO2max. The size of the gathering point had no effect on the oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived exertion. However, the number of two-wheeled containers per collecting period (work efficiency) and the maximum acceptable amount during an 8-h working day were higher in the conditions with 16 and 32 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point compared to the condition with the 2 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point.
authors.affiliation: Coronel Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health, Centre for Research into Health and Health Care, Academic Medical Centre/University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p.p.kuijer@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: P Paul F M
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Kuijer
authors.forename: Allard J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Beek
authors.forename: Jaap H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Dieën
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Visser
authors.forename: Monique H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Frings-Dresen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004526:Efficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009426:Netherlands; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016526:Workload / Q000706:statistics & numerical data