Locks and control posts
Nowadays, locks and bridges are more and more controlled using displays and camera's. When operating at the object direct vision is an advantage; however, with centralisation and operating at distance all visual information needs to come from the camera images.
Locks Weurt
In 2008 a videoprojection wall was installed in the control room of Lock Weurt. This situation did not meet the expectations; the camera images were, due to a low contrast, poorly visible and direct vision towards the enviroment outside the control room was severly limited.
ErgoS was asked to provide a new layout including big screen TFT displays. By means of a 3D AutoCad model the best sitting positions are determined from which both the view towards the enviroment outside the control room and the view on the displays with camera images. The final design is presented as a textual description and technical drawings, on the basis of which a fitter/contractor could do his work. After a temporary newly instrumented workstation the final layout is realised. The users of the lock are very enthousiastic about their new workstations.
Central operation Vlissingen
The registered and independent ergonomists of ErgoS not only design workstations and control rooms layouts, they also carry out formal workstation or layout assessments frequently. Lock Vlissingen is an example of such. ErgoS was asked to assess the operation workstations on ergonomics by means of a situation analysis and documentation study. An assessment can also point in the direction of possible improvements.
Centralised bridge and lock control
RWS has chosen to operate all objects in the area Limburg remotely from two control rooms. ErgoS assignment was to guide the designproces and provide layout proposals. This was the approach:
- Work visits & analysis on all existing objects
- Create layout proposals in cooperation with the end users
- Mock up sessions with the end users
- Final report
ErgoS is currently involved in the assessment of the proposals of the contractor.
Best practices
- Workstation instruction for end users: How to adjust your workstation (in Dutch)
- When dealing with camera images, be aware of how the camera signals are routed and possible losses of information before it reaches the end user. Mistakes are quickly made.
