Title: Ergonomic risk incorporated schedules (ERIS) – scheduling using genetic algorithm to reduce operator fatigue in flow-shop based cells

Authors: T. Aravindkrishna, V. Balasubramanian, T.T. Narendran

Addresses: Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai – 600036, India. ' Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai – 600036, India. ' Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai – 600036, India

Abstract: We address the task of scheduling jobs in a flow-line cell with due consideration to human fatigue at work. A method for sequencing tasks using principles of flow-shop with a procedure to shift tasks/jobs among workers is proposed. The aim is to attain sustained productivity in a labour intensive working environment over an entire shift and enhance long term safety of workers by focusing on human factors. We incorporate human factors into classical scheduling models and develop a GA based heuristic. These are tested over trial data-sets and found to give encouraging results. The model demonstrates how ergonomic factors can be incorporated and what modification it needs from the classical flow shop sequencing models.

Keywords: scheduling; flow shops; ergonomics; genetic algorithms; ergonomic risk incorporated schedules; operator fatigue; flow-line cells; sequencing tasks; jobs; sustained productivity; labour intensive working; shift work; workforce; health and safety; human factors; heuristics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENM.2009.032394

International Journal of Enterprise Network Management, 2009 Vol.3 No.3, pp.184 - 200

Published online: 02 Apr 2010 *

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