Modeling of Environmental Factors Towards Workers’ Productivity For Automotive Assembly Line

Modeling of Environmental Factors Towards Workers’ Productivity For Automotive Assembly Line

Ahmad Rasdan Ismail, Mohd Hanifiah Mohd Haniff, Baba Md. Deros, Nor Kamilah Makhta and Zafir Khan Mohd Makhbul

Abstract: The objective of this study is to determine the effects of humidity and of air temperature on the operators’ productivity and performance in the Malaysian automotive industry. One automotive components assembly factory was chosen as the sources of subjects of the study. The subjects were the workers in the assembly section of the factory. The examined parameters were the relative humidity (%) and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of the surrounding workstation area. Two sets of representative data consisting of the relative humidity (%), WBGT and production rate were collected during the study. The production rate data were collected through observations and survey questionnaires, while the relative humidity (%) and WBGT was measured using thermal comfort multi-station (TCM) equipment. Linear regression analysis was performed to obtain the relationship between the effects of relative humidity (%) and of temperature (WBGT) on worker productivity and performance. The linear regression analysis further revealed a linear model with a positive slope between relative humidity (%) and worker productivity for the assembly section involved. The obtained relationship was Y = 2.79X – 46.1. For WBGT, the linear regression analysis revealed a linear model with a negative slope between temperature (WBGT) and worker performance for the assembly section involved. The obtained relationship was Y = -13.3X + 425.

Keywords: Productivity, Performance, WBGT, Relative Humidity, Relationship.

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