Effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and work efficiency in refuse collecting
The effect of the number of two-wheeled containers at a gathering point on the energetic workload and the work efficiency in refuse collecting was studied in order to design an optimal gathering point for two-wheeled containers. Three sizes of gathering points were investigated, i.e. with 2, 16 and 32 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point. The collecting of two-wheeled containers was simulated in a test circuit. The energetic workload was quantified by the parameters oxygen uptake (lmin?1), heart rate (beatsmin?1) and perceived exertion. The work efficiency was quantified as the time it took to collect 32 two-wheeled containers per time period. The maximum acceptable amount of two-wheeled containers collected during an 8-h working day was estimated using the energetic criterion of a maximum oxygen uptake of 30% VO2max. The size of the gathering point had no effect on the oxygen uptake, heart rate or perceived exertion. However, the number of two-wheeled containers per collecting period (work efficiency) and the maximum acceptable amount during an 8-h working day were higher in the conditions with 16 and 32 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point compared to the condition with the 2 two-wheeled containers at a gathering point.
energetic workload work efficiency pushing/pulling