Anthropometry for planning work place layout in rural areas of Punjab

Abstract

The anthropometric measurements and reaches of 25 selected homemakers belonging to each of the two selected localities of Ludhiana city were taken in standing, sitting and squatting postures in order to optimise kitchen dimensions in accordance with the user's dimensions, capabilities and limitations. In all the three postures, eye level, height, shoulder and elbow heights, right and left knee height, popliteal height, buttock knee length, buttock popliteal heights and thigh clearance heights were measured. However, in standing posture the right and left leg heights were also measured. The right and left total arm, upper arm, fore arm and hand lengths were also recorded. Since it was not feasible to consider the average values of various anthropometric measurements, for developing standards of ideal kitchen design, the 5th, 50th and 95th percentile values of anthropometric measurements were also recorded. For convenience and easy access, the height of storage shelves were decided as per the 5th percentile value of vertical reaches of homemakers. As the human being varied from group to group within groups with respect to their dimensions and capabilities, adjustability becomes a key note of design for human use, since simple equipment or dimensions will never fit to entire user population. The 5th and 95th percentile values of the population help to establish the minimum and maximum limits of the workers for designing work surfaces and storage spaces.