In 2006, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) initiated a 4 year anthropometric study of U.S. truck drivers. The purpose of this project was to establish an anthropometric database for the design of the next generation of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Primary funding for this project came from the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), a partnership program unveiled by NIOSH in 1996 to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices in the United States. As word of this project circulated, it attracted widespread stakeholder interest. A Research Cooperative of Industry Partners (PACCAR Inc., Daimler Trucks North America LLC., Navistar Inc., Volvo Group North America, Commercial Vehicle Group Inc., IMMI, and Isringhausen Inc., U.S.A.) was established not only to share invaluable technical knowledge, but also to provide additional financial support to increase the sample size. Data collection took place between 2009 and 2010. This publication is the final report of the study results. The selection of key anthropometric dimensions for this study had undergone a vigorous evaluation process. In 2006, NIOSH conducted a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of measuring up to 50 anthropometric dimensions from a tri-state sample of 60 West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, and Eastern Ohio truck drivers. The results of this pilot study were analyzed and evaluated in view of the following two guiding principles: (1) relevance of these dimensions to the design of the cab work environment and (2) manageability of the time factor in field data collection efforts. As a result of this analysis, NIOSH determined the number of dimensions needed to be reduced. On October 19, 2007, NIOSH convened a stakeholder meeting in Morgantown, West Virginia, to discuss sampling issues, including the finalization of the dimensions to be measured. Based on the input from the meeting participants, NIOSH decided on a final list of 33 dimensions plus shoe length and shoe width. This study sample consisted of 1,779 male and 171 female truck drivers. Data were collected at 16 different locations in 15 states across the continental United States. A sampling strategy that took into account age, sex, and race categories was used. Only those with a valid Class A Commercial Vehicle Driver’s License (CDL) were measured. More details about the sampling strategy are described in Chapter III. The study results showed that truck drivers were on average larger and heavier (13.5 kg for males and 15.4 kg for females) than individuals in the general U.S. population. The current male drivers were heavier by about 12 kg on average than male drivers of 25—30 years ago. They were larger in body width and girth, even though they were not taller. A comparison of current female truck drivers to their counterparts of 25—30 years ago was not possible due to the small sample size for the female truck drivers in the previous studies. Detailed summary statistics about the current driver population can be found in Chapter IV. To facilitate truck cab design, this study used the Multivariate Accommodation Model (MAM) approach to select 15 body models each for male and female truck drivers. Each of the 15 body models represents a unique combination of body size and physique. These models, together with the anthropometric values of their closest neighbor participants, should benefit the design of the next generation of truck cabs. If a combined set of the male and female models are more desirable, the 20 male and female models selected in this study may be used for the same purpose. (Author/publisher)
Samenvatting