Ergonomic Comparison of Video Display Terminal Workstations-2: Effects of Work-Rest Breaks

摘要

A survey of the effect of rest breaks upon performance among video display terminal operators was conducted. Eleven trained female typists, aged 19 to 30, worked at a data entry task under laboratory conditions alternating daily between two work schedules. One schedule included a 15 minute break after each hour of work, the other had no breaks. Each work session lasted 3 hours. Before and after each work session, a battery of tests was administered to assess visual function and subjective ratings of discomfort (visual, musculoskeletal, and headache). Blood pressures were recorded. The majority of the subjects showed no significant visual effects attributed to either schedule. When the work schedule included breaks, higher rates of performance occurred and the number of complaints such as eye strain and lower back pain decreased. Blood pressure data was not analyzed. The author suggests that introducing work breaks in a data entry task is effective in increasing the rate of performance and lowering the number of complaints.