The regulation of work activity and the new labor and production contexts.
In recent decades, there has been a rise in the use o lean production model techniques. Through this approach, companies become more flexible, a fact that increases the interest in studies regarding the introduction of this model in businesses and its impacts on working conditions. Important observations concerning ergonomics, such as the theme of work activity regulation, have been highlighted in such studies. This article aims to discuss strategies and regulations adopted by the workers on assembly lines that are considered flexible. The article presents the results of a study in a company that adopts some lean production techniques. The study was analyzed using the activity analysis as one of the premises of the Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA). Many aspects of the traditional assembly line remain present in the scenario that was studied, however a new language was employed and aspects in the nature of regulations demonstrate that the relation with lean production techniques influence the operators' operational modes.
Industrial Engineer Department, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235, SP, Brazil. elainegpec@gmail.com
Elaine Cristina
EC
Silva
Paulo Eduardo Gomes
PE
Bento
D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D017146:Models, Organizational; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D017749:Total Quality Management