Health and Safety

THE USABILITY OF ISO 7933

A heuristic evaluation of the usability of ISO 7933 was performed. Three main areas of the standard were investigated; the paper based standard, the computer program, and the practical use of the model to determine safe work times. The paper based standard had poor or inadequate usability in a number of areas; simplicity, structure, consistency, speaking the user’s language, providing adequate information and minimising user memory load. The standard appears unnecessarily scientific and would not encourage users to use it. The format and the information provided do not satisfy ergonomic guidelines of usability. Users should not be expected to use the equations presented in the standard and to work through them manually. This standard can only be used as a computer program and, as such, much of the information provided in the body of the standard is superfluous to their requirements.

The development of a practical heat stress assessment methodology for use in UK industry