New Facility Design and Work Method for the Quantitative Fit Testing Laboratory.

摘要

The United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) tests the quantitative fit of masks which are worn by military personnel during nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare. Subjects are placed in a Dynatech-Frontier Fit Testing Chamber, salt air is fed into the chamber, and samples of air are drawn from the mask and the chamber. The ratio of salt air outside the mask to salt air inside the mask is called the quantitative fit factor. A motion-time study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the layout and work method presently used in the laboratory. A link analysis was done to determine equipment priorities, and the link data and design guidelines were used to develop three proposed laboratory designs. The proposals were evaluated by projecting the time and motion efficiency, and the energy expended working in each design. Also evaluated were the lengths of the equipment links for each proposal, and each proposal's adherence to design guidelines. A mock-up was built of the best design proposal, and a second motion-time study was run. Results showed that with the new laboratory and work procedures, the USAFSAM analyst could test 116 more subjects per year than are currently tested. Finally, the results of a questionnaire given to the analyst indicated that user acceptance of the work area improved with the new design. Keywords: Test methods; Fit testing. (kt)