Training and ergonomics in production line work

The problems with on-the-job training of operators so that they acquire the motor skills necessary for doing production line work have not been extensively studied. In companies, difficulties or failures with training are attributed to the person's lack of physical skill. However, besides individual limitations, training problems can be considered to be related to the difficulty in passing on knowledge and know-how, resulting from the deficiencies in the way training is organized. Ergonomists could then make recommendations to make operator training easier. In a study in two pig slaughterhouses, we described the obstacles to the acquisition of motor skills. These emerged from the operators' comments about the following: (1) a comparison of the planned theoretical training and the actual training; (2) changing the method learned; (3) difficulties encountered in using the learned method; (4) a comparison of the working methods used by operators doing the same job. Training problems seem to be related to the following main aspects: Pride as well as anxiety about being unable to do the work promote rapid learning; competitive situations among operators are not favorable to the transmission of knowledge and know-how; the operator-trainer sees the training of an apprentice as an additional task to be carried out under more difficult conditions due to a lack of space; the apprentice is shown only one working method; and training is done immediately at the speed of the production line.