Gender differences in anthropometry

• Main Author: Teng, Han Yong.
• Other Authors: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/54143
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Singapore is a South East Asian nation with a population of about 5.26 million. As manufacturing is one of the key sectors contributing to Singapore’s economy, there is an emphasis on measures that will help to improve the productivity, and in turn profits, of manufacturing companies. One way in which productivity of a worker can be improved is to ensure his comfort levels. At the same time, laws within the nation have also required a minimum level of safety in a work environment. Thus, there is a demand for an anthropometric database to be established in Singapore. Singapore cannot rely on anthropometric databases from other countries as people of different races and regions have different dimensions. Thus, an anthropometric database made up of measurements from Singaporeans will allow workspace designers to design optimal workstations that are comfortable and safe for a worker in Singapore. This study collects data from one hundred men and one hundred women in an effort to establish an anthropometric database. Twelve measurements are taken from people in the working age group and across the three main races in Singapore. Then, their dimensions are recorded and tabulated. Finally, statistical analysis is performed on the data to reveal the means and standard deviations of the various dimensions. These results will enable workspace designers to become aware of the differences in dimensions between Singaporean men and women and can help them to design appropriate workstations that can be used by both genders.