Article

Case study: adapting a workstation in an Énergir truck

François Taillefer

Author

François Taillefer

François Taillefer holds a PHD in ergonomics, a Canadian Certification of Practitioners in Ergonomics (CCPE) and a master’s degree in kinesiology. His related skills, combined with over 20 years of experience, make him a passionate expert in human functioning and the ergonomic evaluation of workstations.

Certain work environments present significant challenges in terms of ergonomics. Whether it’s the furniture, equipment used, or the working conditions employees face, creativity and ingenuity are sometimes required to create an efficient and safe workspace. For instance, consider workers who must travel in a vehicle that also serves as their office workspace. Comfort and posture can quickly become compromised.

The case study presented in this article shows how it’s possible to transform a vehicle—in this case, a truck used by the company Energir—into a workspace adapted to the environment.

INITIAL WORKSPACE – CONTEXT

Technicians responsible for acquisition, operations, or localization at Gaz Métro must use a SAVANA-type vehicle tailored to their job functions. These workers travel to various sites, but their vehicle also serves as a mobile office. On average, the employee spends about 90% of their time at the client site and 10% at the workspace inside the truck. Workers can spend between 10 to 30 minutes sitting at this workstation during each task.

Initially, observations showed that the workspace included a surface where a laptop, mouse, and fax machine were placed. The worker sat on a basic office chair with wheels removed, fixed to the floor using a pivot base for stability. This chair was height adjustable, with limited lumbar support and only minor adjustments to the depth of the backrest.

RISK ANALYSIS

The ergonomic assessment of the mobile office highlighted several posture-related risks, particularly due to the chair’s design. An optimized seating solution was required to reduce discomfort risks. The primary risk factors related to the following:
– **Lack of optimal lumbar support**, as the chair backrest didn’t provide sufficient support.
– **Lack of foot support**, leading to pressure behind the thighs depending on the worker’s height.
– **Inadequate seating adjustment**, causing twisting of the torso.
– **Seat size and padding** were not optimal.
– **Shoulder strain**, especially if the chair couldn’t be adjusted high enough relative to the worker’s size.

Additionally, it was critical to ensure that equipment remained stable while the vehicle was in motion to prevent the chair from contacting other objects in the vehicle. Therefore, the chair had to be secured to the workstation during transit.

WORKSTATION MODIFICATIONS

To address these risks, a custom-made chair was designed to meet the specific demands of the mobile workspace. Key features of this adapted chair include:
– Height adjustment flexibility, allowing the chair to accommodate different worker sizes. The backrest could also be adjusted for better support of the lower limbs.
– Improved backrest design, providing better lumbar support, along with enhanced padding for the seat and backrest to maximize worker comfort.

![Workstation seat](https://synetikdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DVWWW-300×169.jpg)

– Dual ball joints added to the structure connecting the chair to the furniture allowed for better alignment with the task, preventing torso twisting.

![Ball joints](https://synetikdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/dvwv-300×241.jpg)

– **Strap and carabiner** for securing the seat during vehicle movement.

![Securing strap](https://synetikdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/fbfbadf-300×246.jpg)

![Seat securing system](https://synetikdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/wvdwvwv-300×180.jpg)

OTHER ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER

Recommendations were also made to adjust the lighting source and its placement due to glare issues, which led to awkward postures when the worker struggled to view screen data. Additionally, lowering the work surface was advised to reduce the need to raise the chair, thereby minimizing the need for a footrest.

Although installing a keyboard tray and external keyboard could optimize laptop height, these adjustments were deemed unnecessary as the computer usage typically didn’t exceed 30 consecutive minutes.

CONCLUSION

This case study demonstrates that workspace optimization, considering ergonomics, is achievable even in challenging environments. While such cases require thorough evaluation and development time, improving the working conditions of employees is a realistic goal.

Share your specific projects with us, and we’ll be delighted to design custom solutions tailored to your needs!

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