Driller’s workstation designed with ergonomics in mind
As the drilling industry continues to gain a better understanding of how human factors impact safety and performance on drilling rigs, NOV has developed an ergonomic driller’s workstation. It considers that factors such as loss of direct visibility of the work area and repetitive movements can contribute to a decline in the driller’s physical well being, thus impacting drilling performance.
Many factors can contribute to fatigue in the workplace. For example, wrong postures or sitting for long periods can lead to discomfort in the lower back; incorrect desk or elbow height can trigger wrist pain; and incorrect monitor position can cause neck or eye strain. These symptoms are attributable to poor ergonomics in the worker’s environment. Working under such conditions can prove challenging even for seemingly low risk jobs that simply require use of a computer, mouse and keyboard. Now, imagine performing critical and complex tasks, using multiple monitors and control devices, and doing this for 30 days with 12-hour shifts. Poor working conditions could degrade driller’s performance and ultimately affect the rig’s operation.
A driller’s workstation is the command center for monitoring and controlling drilling processes. For example, joysticks are used to hoist or lower a top drive, buttons activate power slips or pumps, and monitors with touchscreen capability configure machines and provide process status. The ergonomic features of a driller’s workstation play an important role in mitigating driller’s fatigue and reducing the likeliness of joint and back disorders that can lead to long-term pain.
When designing an ergonomically optimal driller’s workstation, it’s necessary to conduct a complete analysis of the tasks that the workstation supports. This information identifies the functionality and placement of the different components that support the tasks, which in turn drives the workstation requirements. Main design requirements to consider include:
• Variation within intended user population: The workstation takes into account the different body measurements of intended users, understanding that drillers can be of any gender and any nationality;
• Visual considerations: The design analysis includes eye-to-screen distances, viewing angles and overall drill floor line of sight;
• Working postures: To achieve optimal ergonomic postures, the workstation requires multiple adjustments to accommodate varying body forms;
• Components’ layout requirements: The layout design minimizes fatigue and avoids unintended activation of controls. The control components are accessible and within arms’ reach; and
• Other considerations: Easy escape from the workstation during emergency situations, easy access to all components for faster service and repair, and installation compatibility with existing driller’s cabins.
National Oilwell Varco’s RISE workstation addresses ergonomic concerns to minimize fatigue and offer drillers the opportunity to work with better posture, less stress and more focus on the job at hand. The workstation includes motors and actuators that provide automatic chair adjustments to custom-fit the operator’s body and provide optimal comfort.
The workstation provides a posture change ranging from any position between sitting and standing. The design captures various incremental physical measurements of the operator, such as line of sight, height, weight, handgrip and arm reach to adjust the workstation and to accommodate the driller. The workstation supports storing and restoring users’ ergonomic profiles, allowing it to self-adjust to a specific operator’s body measurements.
Key features are:
• Adjustments for optimal driller’s ergonomics include: viewing angle of monitors, reach to controls components, backrest inclination, lumbar support, elbow height and width support, knee support and seat height.
• Sitting and standing operation: The workstation provides an integrated motion from sitting to standing positions, while maintaining optimal ergonomics.
• Storing/restoring of user profiles. The software allows a driller to configure the workstation by either entering the body measurements or by individually adjusting each parameter for best comfort. Multiple drillers can save their ergonomic configuration profiles and restore them at any time.
• The control components and layout includes configurable buttons, encoder wheels and an enhanced joystick that optimizes the human-machine interaction during the different drilling processes. The joystick design improves the driller’s grip and includes a tactile feedback to extend the operator’s situational awareness.
石油圈
