A hand-ergonomics training kit: development and evaluation of a package to support improved awareness and critical thinking

A need for a hand-ergonomics training kit has been identified to increase critical thinking concerning choice of hand tools. This study deals with the design, use and evaluation of a hand-ergonomics training kit for use in ergonomics training programmes. The effects on awareness of hand ergonomics among training course participants have been evaluated by means of a questionnaire and interviews at a car production plant in Sweden. The evaluation was carried out about one and a half years after training with the hand-ergonomics training kit. The training kit consists of a guide to practical exercises, equipment for measuring hand size and strength, examples of hand tools for use in practical exercises, equipment for testing and evaluating the hand tools and checklists and judgement forms for qualitative evaluation. In addition, the kit contains relevant scientifically based reference reports on hand ergonomics. The evaluation showed that the practical exercises with the hand-ergonomic training kit had, to a remarkable extent, increased individuals' awareness of anthropometric differences and of the importance of ergonomically well-designed hand tools. After the practical exercises with the training kit, communication within the plant when choosing hand tools seems to be based on objective criteria to a higher degree, however, the results indicate that this communication could be further improved.