WORK STUDY

Work Study
It is defined as a combination of method study and work measurement which are used for ensuring the optimal use of human time and material resource in doing the specified activity.
Work Study

Method Study

Work Measurement

Time Study

Work Sampling

Methods Analysis
The need for methods analysis can come from a number of different sources:
Changes in tools and equipment

Changes in product design or new products

Changes in materials or procedures Other factors (e.g. accidents, quality problems)

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Methods Study Procedure

1. Production Process
2. Jobs at Fixed Place 3. Worker Interacting with Equipment

4. Worker Interacting with other Workers

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Analyzing the Job

Flow process chart
Chart used to examine the overall sequence of

an operation by focusing on movements of the operator or flow of materials

Worker-machine chart
Chart used to determine portions of a work

cycle during which an operator and equipment are busy or idle

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FLOW PROCESS CHART

Job Requisition of petty cash

ANALYST PAGE D. Kolb 1 of 2

Details of Method
Requisition made by department head Put in pick-up basket To accounting department Account and signature verified Amount approved by treasurer Amount counted by cashier Amount recorded by bookkeeper Petty cash sealed in envelope Petty cash carried to department Petty cash checked against requisition Receipt signed Petty cash stored in safety box
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Motion Study
Motion study is the systematic study of the human motions used to perform an operation.

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Motion Study Techniques

Motion study principles - guidelines for designing motion-efficient work procedures

Analysis of therbligs - basic elemental motions into which a job can be broken down
Micromotion study - use of motion pictures and slow motion to study motions that otherwise would be too rapid to analyze

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Developing Work Methods

1. Eliminate unnecessary motions 2. Combine activities 3. Reduce fatigue 4. Improve the arrangement of the workplace

5. Improve the design of tools and equipment

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Working Conditions
Temperature & Humidity Ventilation

Illumination

Color

Working Conditions (contd)

Noise & Vibration

Work Breaks

Safety

Causes of Accidents

Work Measurement
Work measurement: Determining how long it should take to do a job.
Standard time

Stopwatch time study

Historical times

Predetermined data
Work Sampling

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Standard time
Standard time: The amount of time it should take a qualified worker to complete a specific task, working at a sustainable rate, using given methods, tools and equipment, raw materials, and workplace arrangement.

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Example 1
An 8 hours work measurement study in a plant

reveals the following:

Units produced = 320 nos. Idle time=15%. Performance rating = 120%. Allowances=12% of normal time.

Determine the standard time per unit produced.

Example 2
Calculate the standard production per shift of 8 hours duration with the following data. Observed time per unit = 5 minutes Rating factor = 120% Total allowances = 33 1/3%

An industrial engineer, deputed to conduct a time study for a job, has, after observation, divided the job into 5 elements. He had noted the timings for four cycles of the job as below:
Time in minutes Element Cycle 1 Cycle 2 Cycle 3 Cycle 4 Performance rating

Example 3

1 2 3 4 5

1.246 0.972 0.914 2.121 1.253

1.328 0.895 1.875 2.198 1.175

1.298 0.798 1.964 2.146 1.413

1.306 0.919 1.972 2.421 2.218

90 100 100 110 100

i) Compute the basic time for the job and the standard time if a
relaxation allowance of 12%, a contingency allowance of 3% and an incentive of 20% are applicable for the job.

Stopwatch Time Study

Stopwatch Time Study: Development of a time standard based on observations of one worker taken over a number of cycles. The basic steps in a time study:
Define the task to be studied 2. Determine the number of cycles to observe 3. Time the job 4. Compute the standard time
1.

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Standard Elemental Times

Standard elemental times: Time standards derived from a firms historical data. Steps for standard elemental times
Analyze the job 2. Check file for historical times 3. Modify file times if necessary 4. Sum elemental times to get normal time
1.

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Predetermined Time Standards

Predetermined time standards: Published data based on extensive research to determine standard elemental times. Advantages:
Based on large number of workers under controlled conditions 2. Analyst not requires to rate performance 3. No disruption of the operation 4. Standards can be established
1.
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Work Sampling
Work sampling: technique for estimating the proportion of time that a worker or machine spends on various activities and idle time. Work sampling involves making brief observations of a worker or machine at random intervals

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Primary Applications of Work Sampling are

Activity time percentage for work men and equipment.
Development of performance index for

workers. Set time standards to obtain standard time for task.

Steps in Work-sampling study

Identify an activity. Example idle time of an equipment.
Calculate the percentage of time of activity of interest to

the total time. In the above example idle time say is 14% of total time. This figure is arrived by experience of the analysis or from previous records.
Fix when each study observation is to be made. Between the studies, recompute number of observations

necessary for studies.

Example 1
Pilot study showed percentage of occurrence of an activity as 50%. Determine the number of observations required for a work sampling study for 95% confidence level and a relative error of 2%.

Example 1
In a work sampling study, a mechanic was found idle for 20% of the time. Find out the number of observations needed to conform to the above figures with a confidence level of 99% confidence level and a relative error of 5%.

Compensation
Time-based system
Compensation based on time an employee has

worked during a pay period

Output-based (incentive) system

Compensation based on the amount of output an

employee produces during a pay period

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Form of Incentive Plan

Accurate Easy to apply Consistent Easy to understand

Fair

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Compensation
Individual Incentive Plans Group Incentive Plans Knowledge-Based Pay System Management Compensation

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