Attendance at opening matches of great sporting events such as the RBS Six Nations rugby championships at Twickenham can see capacity crowds of up 82,000. Tournaments such as these are great occasions in the sporting calender for sure, but let’s give some thought to the application of ergonomics to a venue such as this, and its contribution to the success of such an event.
The application of ergonomics in the design and operation of public venues, such as sports stadia, is a relatively new area, yet it is vital when bearing in mind that these are places that routinely handle very large numbers of people. You might argue that it’s the job of architects to design a space suitable for its users and that building regulations and other design guidance will help to ensure that it is safe. This is true to an extent but in practice architects have a whole host of other issues to consider as well, such as sustainability and energy efficiency, building materials, and aesthetic qualities.
Consequently, the focus is often shifted away and the needs of the users can be somewhat neglected. Building regulations provide some safeguard and general guidance to designers but they do not cover every circumstance and venue type. Discretion has to be used and consideration given to how a particular venue is to be operated and the specific needs and nuances of its users. This is where ergonomics can contribute. In projects that we have been involved in, project managers and architects, many of whom had never heard of ergonomics before, have seen its benefits and the added value that applying ergonomics principles can bring. In those projects, ergonomics has now become one of the key disciplines in the design, and ergonomics specialists are now an integral part of the design team.
Broadly speaking there are two types of users in a public venue that we need to cater for – the staff who work there and the visitors who use it. For the staff, a key requirement is to provide them with a workspace and work environment that enables them to perform their tasks efficiently, effectively and safely. To this end, ergonomics specialists have been involved heavily in control room design, the design of other back of house areas requiring operation or maintenance, and user interface design of equipment.
Ergonomics can also help to enhance the effectiveness of venue operations. Established techniques such as task analysis, workload assessment and human error analysis together with specialist knowledge of crowd flows and crowd behaviour can be used to identify areas or aspects of operation that require further improvement. This is of particular relevance to venue operation in the event of an emergency. Staff members have to perform a different set of tasks in a circumstance that is urgent, unfamiliar to them and full of uncertainties. The success of an emergency operation is down to both the emergency plan and the actions of staff members. Ergonomics issues such as training, workload, communications and coordination, human error and crowd behaviour are highly relevant to whether the plan is realistic and can be implemented effectively in such difficult circumstances. In a scenario where large numbers of the public need to be managed or evacuated, an effective strategy for staff to follow must take into consideration issues of human behaviour, crowd movement and expectations.
With regards to the visitors in public spaces, crowd flows and human behaviour are the key issues. Specialist knowledge in the subject matter is required in ergonomics input to ensure that these issues are adequately addressed throughout the design process. Important design decisions that have the biggest impact on crowd flows are very often made at the initial optioneering and conceptual design stages. This is when ergonomics involvement should begin in order to avoid late changes to the design which often lead to serious delays and additional costs.
Ergonomic input can be provided through design review using relevant guidance, standards and checklists, risk assessment, and static analysis, for example, calculations to determine whether a public space has sufficient capacity to cope with the anticipated crowd flows. For complex spaces, computer modelling of pedestrian movement is sometimes used to assess crowd flows. This is a powerful tool but it needs to be handled carefully. Often people are all too ready to simply accept whatever the computer indicates at face value without question. However a model is only as good as the modelling assumptions upon which it is built. We know that crowd flows are heavily influenced by human behaviour, and incorrect modelling assumptions about how people are likely to behave will lead to flaws in the model. Therefore suitable ergonomics input is essential for crowd flow analysis even when computer modelling is used.
In addition to crowd flows, there are a number of other ergonomic issues that could affect the usability of public spaces and the safety of those who use them. For example, through applying ergonomics best practice and by focusing on how people will use the spaces, we have managed to highlight to designers and venue managers specific design features that could become a safety hazard in certain circumstances, encourage (or fail to prevent) undesirable behaviours or adversely affect venue operation. Similarly, we can also provide advice on matters such as suitable locations for public facilities, information, and signage.
Ergonomics is a new discipline to many in the public venue sectors, but its applications so far, which are mainly in transportation, sports venues and events, have indicated that there is much that it can offer to public venue design and operation. Specialist skills and knowledge about crowds and crowd behaviour are required in some of the work, but the key underlying principle of a user-orientated approach is certainly relevant to public venues where people are essential to their functioning in so many ways.
Established ergonomics best practice and techniques also enable us to apply our skills and knowledge acquired from other industries to assist venue designers and managers to achieve better designs and more effective crowd management. It has taken time but we believe that there is a growing understanding of the necessity for this specialism.
Co-author: Jenny Gilroy<
Print 
PDF