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The Evolution of Industrial Ergonomics in the Mid- Twentieth Century

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The Evolution of Industrial Ergonomics in the Mid- Twentieth Century 1 “Machines and People” - The evolution of industrial ergonomics in the mid- twentieth century. A thesis submitted to The University of Manchester for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. 2017. Roland John Edwards. School of Medical Sciences. Total Number of Words = 79904. 2 Front Cover of Origins of Ergonomics published in 1964. 3 Table of Contents ……………………………...…….……………………….……… ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Figures. ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Tables. ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Abbreviations. .......................................................................................................................... 10 Abstract. ................................................................................................................................... 13 Declaration. .............................................................................................................................. 14 Acknowledgements. ................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 1: Introduction. ........................................................................................................... 17 1.1: Overview. ...................................................................................................................... 17 1.2. What Kind of Science was Ergonomics in the mid-twentieth Century? ....................... 18 1.3. The Management of Post-War Science in the UK. ....................................................... 22 1.4. The Nature of Post-War Science in the UK. ................................................................. 26 1.5: Post-War Productivity and the Changing Nature of Work. .......................................... 30 1.6: Why an Industrial Human Science Research Programme? .......................................... 37 1.7: The TUC’s Executive Science Bodies. ......................................................................... 40 1.8: The Ergonomics Research Society. .............................................................................. 42 1.9: The Characteristics of Scientific Disciplines. ............................................................... 45 1.10: Scientific Networks and Working Worlds - Information Transfer and Avenues of Influence. ............................................................................................................................. 53 1.11: A Note on Data Sources. ............................................................................................. 58 1.12: Structure of the Thesis. ............................................................................................... 59 Part 1 Chapter 2. The Development and Growth of Government Funded Human Science Research to 1957. .................................................................................................................... 63 2.1: Introduction. .................................................................................................................. 63 2.2: Studying Workers in Their Civilian and Military Working Environments in the Inter War and War Years. ............................................................................................................. 64 2.3: Sir Frederic Bartlett and the Formation of the Applied Psychology Unit. ................... 69 2.4: The Formation and Growth of the ERS. ....................................................................... 73 2.5: Setting the Research Agenda - The Committee on Research and Productivity. ........... 79 2.6: Raising Productivity - The Committee for Industrial Productivity Human Factors Sub - Committee. ........................................................................................................................... 83 2.7: The Formation of the Human Factor in Industry Committees – 1950 to 1953. ............ 88 2.8: The Individual Efficiency Committee. ......................................................................... 93 2.9. Visualising the IEC Research. ...................................................................................... 99 2.10: Conclusions. .............................................................................................................. 107 4 Part 1 Chapter 3: Ergonomics at DSIR and the European Productivity Agency - 1956 to 1960. ...................................................................................................................................... 110 3.1: Introduction. ................................................................................................................ 110 3.2: The End of the Partnership. ........................................................................................ 111 3.3: The DSIR Human Sciences Committee. ..................................................................... 112 3.4: The EPA: a Short Review. .......................................................................................... 121 3.5: Fitting to Job to the Worker - Stansfield and the EPA. .............................................. 124 3.6: The DSIR / EPA Ergonomics in Industry Conference. .............................................. 130 3.7: Conclusions. ................................................................................................................ 138 Part 1 Chapter 4: Ergonomics at DSIR and Min Tech - 1958 to 1968. ................................ 141 4.1 Introduction. ................................................................................................................. 141 4.2: The Ergonomics Sub-Committee. ............................................................................... 142 4.3: Reorganising the HSC. ............................................................................................... 145 4.4: The HSC Ergonomics Research Programme - 1960 to 1965. ..................................... 148 4. 5: Human Sciences at the Warren Spring Laboratory. ................................................... 160 4.6: The Legacy of WSL. ................................................................................................... 168 4.7: Conclusions. ................................................................................................................ 178 Part 2: Chapter 5: We Should Have a Say in the Research - The TUC and Ergonomics. .... 182 5.1: Introduction. ................................................................................................................ 182 5.2: The TUC Conference Series - 1959 to 1965. ............................................................. 183 5.3: Government Lobbying by the TUC – More Ergonomics Courses? ............................ 186 5.4: The TUC / ERS Conferences - 1965 to 1970. ............................................................ 191 5.5: Conclusions. ................................................................................................................ 200 Part 2 Chapter 6. We Need People who can Work with Industry – Academic and Non- Academic Ergonomics Education. ......................................................................................... 202 6.1: Introduction. ................................................................................................................ 202 6.2: The Department of Ergonomics and Cybernetics, Loughborough. ............................ 204 6.3: The Department of Engineering Production and Ergonomics, Birmingham. ............. 216 6.4: The West of England Engineering and Allied Employers’ Association Ergonomic Courses for Industry. .......................................................................................................... 228 6.5: Conclusions. ................................................................................................................ 232 Chapter 7: Conclusions. ........................................................................................................ 236 7.1: Overview. .................................................................................................................... 236 7.2: The Government Funded Industrial Human Sciences Programme – Management and Scientific Content............................................................................................................... 237 7.3: How was Ergonomics Institutionalised? ..................................................................... 239 5 7.4: Future Work. ............................................................................................................... 246 7.5 Epilogue. ...................................................................................................................... 249 Bibliography. ......................................................................................................................... 251 Acts Of Parliament. ............................................................................................................ 251 Command Papers ............................................................................................................... 251 Unpublished Primary Sources. ..........................................................................................
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