The Test of Posture.
The third test is that of posture. Take another walk through your plant, and look at those workers to whom fatigue elimination work has been applied, and note how they are sitting, or standing, or walking.
Fig. 31
A. Set of experiments in fatigue study for proving that times of motions have little close relation to lengths of motions unless the same length of motion is repeated consecutively many times. (See [Fig. 21.])
B. Micromotion of workman reaching with both hands for pieces of a machine which is being assembled. The microchronometer in the foreground registers divisions of time to the half a thousandth of a minute, and therefore gives us much data relating to time study, motion study, and fatigue study.
C. Penetrating screen in the plane of the motions for the purpose of registering exactly the distance of motions in fatigue study experiments.
The American Posture League, with headquarters at 30 Church Street, New York City, will gladly furnish standards for proper posture in various positions. It will be impossible, of course, to eradicate wrong habits of posture in a short time, no matter how radical the change may be, but you should note improvements. At least each worker should be so placed that he could work in the proper posture if he chose, and so that the proper posture will be the easiest for him. If the chairs, benches, levers, or devices force him to assume the proper posture, so much the better. Consideration of the devices shows, unfortunately, that few are designed for operation with least fatigue; more being designed to use the least quantity of material.
In the case of young workers, especially, it is surprising how quickly the proper devices will induce the correct posture, especially if the betterment staff co-operate to explain the correct posture, and its effect upon health. Where no betterment staff exists, the posters of the Posture League will serve as desirable examples and object lessons. Here again, as in so many other places, “fashion of work” is a most important element. Let correct posture become the fashion, and let the devices make the posture possible, and astonishing results will follow.
It is, of course, always a great aid to make anything that one desires the easiest thing to do. The proper chairs and work places make correct posture the easiest posture to hold. This is a great force towards maintaining it.