Experimental study of working table height for standing works

Nobuyuki MOTEGI

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of working table height on standing work. Seven male subjects performed four kinds of standing work tasks (task1, 2, 3 and 4) at four different working table conditions. The table height was set 0cm, 10cm, 20cm, and 30cm below the elbow height of each subject. The contents of these tasks were to perform task1 and 2 at the horizontal level, and construct solid objects in task3and 4. The duration of each task was about 2 minutes. The low back EMG increased with lowering table height and showed the maximum value at the 30cm table height in all tasks. The all mean value of trunk inclination at the 30cm table height in all tasks. The average trunk inclination was also gradually increased with lowering the table height. The effect was statistically significant. The maximum value of trunk inclination was 47 degrees in task1. In the personal complaint on this experiment, the estimation of 30cm table height was the worst. The best postures in each condition were 0cm in task1 and task2, 10cm in task3 and task4. The result of adjusting range of working table height recognized 10cm.