Fatigue Study: The Elimination of Humanity's Greatest Unnecessary Waste: A First Step in Motion Study

THE main thesis of the authors of this book is that much of the fatigue occurring among industrial workers is unnecessary, and is caused by the carrying out of the work under conditions which involve excessive and avoidable expenditure of energy. The methods suggested for the elimination of unnecessary fatigue consist for the most part of various mechanical devices. One of these consists in the provision of high chairs so that the workers can sit to their work instead of having to stand. Another suggestion is the use of chairs provided with springs which exclude vibration from the floors of buildings in which high speed machinery is used. Considerable attention is directed to the value of organisation in the placing of his material in the most convenient position for handling by the worker, to the importance of suitabla lighting, and to the desirability of frequent rest intervals during the day's work. A useful point which i brought out is that the value of rest periods is greatly enhanced by the provision of an adequate supply of rest chairs. The authors find that the application of these methods produces a striking improvement, both in the physical condition of the workers and in the efficiency of their work.Fatigue Study: The Elimination of Humanity's Greatest Unnecessary Waste: A First Step in Motion Study.By Frank B. Gilbreth Dr. Lillian M. Gilbreth. Pp. 159. (London: George Routledge and Sons, Ltd., 1916.) Price 6s. net.