A Human-Centric Assessment of Musculoskeletal Risks to Facilitate a Human-Centric Workplace for Train Drivers

The train driver’s cab has anecdotally often been referred to as the bit stuck on the front of a train, implying that it doesn’t receive a great deal of design input. Suggesting that primary attention is given to the functional aspects of controls and displays rather than user considerations such as comfort and well-being. The problem this results in, though, is that the cab is the driver’s workplace. A workplace for a safety-critical job role. A workplace where posture, movement and vision are core human factors. A workplace where if there is no good fit between the driver and their ability to reach and operate controls, the risks of discontent, fatigue and injury are significant. The rail sector has, necessarily, worked with regulations, standards and guidelines for many years, and with a proactive risk assessment approach in many areas of its work for depot and track alike. However, it was not until a legal case in 2009 that the industry began to seriously consider the assessment of the musculoskeletal risks to which train drivers were exposed, ultimately resulting in the development and deployment of the Railway Safety and Safety Board’s tool ‘MSD risk Assessment for Train drivers’. By telling the story of how the tool came about, it is hoped it will inspire others to develop similarly effective ergonomics risk assessment tools to effectively contribute to human-centric (Ergonomics 5.0) workplaces.