The Lighting Problem.
It is not necessary to have a scientific knowledge of motion study, physiology, and psychology, or even of hygiene, in order to make preliminary, anti-fatigue improvements in working conditions of any industrial organization that has not already had a regular fatigue survey made. We might profitably begin with lighting, since no fatigue is more wearing than eye fatigue. We attempt here only to ask a few general questions about the light. “Is there enough light, so that every one can see his own work perfectly?” “Is the light properly distributed?” “Is glare prevented?” Etc. Nearly all factory managers of to-day are careful to provide enough light for the worker. In their desire to furnish light enough, many workers often have more light than is really comfortable, and are forced to adjust their eyes constantly in order to see distinctly. The lighting to be found in most factories is not properly distributed, and seldom strikes the work at the least fatiguing angle.
The greatest fatigue from lighting, however, lies in the question of glare and reflection. One sees examples of this everywhere. It is caused largely by a misplaced pride in equipment or machinery, and by keeping everything in a high state of polish. One is often disturbed and inconvenienced in even the best equipped public libraries by the glare of the electric lights upon the shiny, varnished, or otherwise highly polished surfaces of the desks. Oftentimes we see lights carefully placed so that the individual gets light enough with his light in the right location, while lights in the distance shine in his eyes. Even when the lights are provided with adjustable shades, it is almost impossible to place one’s book in such a position that reflected light will not shine from the page to the eyes. The glare from nickel-plated machinery, be it a large factory machine or a typewriter, or any other kind of shop or office equipment, will cause fatigue, if the eye is required to work constantly in the vicinity; but the source of fatigue is not recognized. A dull black finished machine may not be as beautiful either to manufacturer or purchaser as would be a shiny, nickel-plated machine of the same design, but the main question is, “How much comfort will the operator take while using the machine?” The kind of finish of such machinery is usually affected greatly, if not determined wholly, by the question of salesmanship. Good appearances have always been a large element in making sales, and it is natural and right that the manufacturer should like his product to be attractive in appearance, and that the manager should take pride in the looks of his factory or office. But our entire standard of what is desirable in “good looks” in a work place has changed. We look now for efficiency and fatigue elimination rather than for ornament and glaring polish. We reduced fatigue, annoyance, and distraction on several pieces of work by having our clients paint nickel and other bright parts with a coat of dull black paint. For the best results to the eye, the same finish as that on the inside of a camera is to be recommended.
We are coming to realize more and more that the great test of everything is suitability, and that the mysterious and tangible thing called “suitability” simply consists of the measure of predetermined units of desired qualities. The operating room in the hospital is bare, with plain walls and rounded corners, with the least opportunity for dust lodgment, because that is most suitable to the type of work done there. The modern business desk is flat topped, with no tiny drawers or cubby-holes to collect papers and miscellaneous odds and ends, because this type of desk conforms best with present day systems of office management. In the same way all machinery and office equipment should be without so-called ornament or polish, because in this way the most work can be done with the least amount of fatigue. Our whole idea of ornament is changing. Suitability here also is the standard, and the artists have done noble work in setting an example to the trades. “Suitability” must become a slogan for every department in the organization.
Fig. 5
This photograph shows a typical “motion-studied” desk. This desk is cross-sectioned, so that standards can be made as to the placing of those things that are constantly required for work. The only drawer containing any permanent materials is pulled out at the left. It contains duplicate supplies of our standard forms, so arranged that a man will not run out of supplies at his desk, as the holder in which the reserve supply is placed is a notification to the desk supply boy that supplies in addition to the weekly furnishings are wanted immediately.
Fig. 6
This picture shows a “one-motion” pencil rack. This is one of the many little devices that we have used to cause every one throughout the plant to think in terms of elementary and least fatiguing motions. This pencil rack was devised little by little, suggestions coming from different employees. For example, one suggestion was that the grooves be painted different colours, representing the standardized places for the different coloured pencils. Another suggestion was that a deep horizontal groove be added, that the fingers might go around the pencil at the exact place where used when in the position of writing. The slant of the rack is that slant whereby the pencil will surely slide down by gravity to the stop at the bottom of the pencil rack, but not slide with force enough to break even the most delicate point.
Such a device alone saves very little time or fatigue, but it represents one of many kinds of devices that make for habits that cause less fatigue.
The new doctrine will interest the selling department, who act as intermediaries between the manufacturing department and the public who is to buy the product. It will be a real part of the preliminary work in adjusting such conditions as lighting to take the sales department and purchasing department into conference on the subject. Let all interested see that nothing comes into or goes out of the plant until the question, “What is its relation to fatigue?” has been considered. We forget sometimes that a thing may have value not only because it has certain qualities that eliminate fatigue, but also because it lacks certain qualities that would cause fatigue.
Go, then, through your own plant with the question of glare in your mind. Examine and inspect every work place, and see what can be done. Not only for reasons of glare, but for other reasons we recommend that every work place should be inspected for unnecessary fatigue by having a man, competent in fatigue study, actually sit and stand in the working position in each and every work place in the establishment once every three months during the installation period, and not seldomer than once per year thereafter. Sometimes it will be found that moving the nearest light or shading a distant light will be all that is necessary. Sometimes a coating of dull black paint on some of the working equipment is required; sometimes the substitution of a dull-finished for a glossy paper. Sometimes dull-coloured blotting paper can be laid upon the place where the reflected glare comes. Perhaps a dull finish upon that would not only save the time of your workers, but also those who are to use the product after it leaves your hands. The world worked a great many years under the motto, “Give the public what it wants.” We are beginning to realize to-day that the public will want just exactly what it is educated to want; also that the public is easily educated if the arguments that are used are based upon measurement, and are presented in attractive form. The lighting problem is but a small element of the problem of eye fatigue. This will, however, be left for later consideration.