Abstract
In order to prevent workers from injures related to physical overload and overexertion, the study proposes a physical workload evaluation model based on physiological measurement. There are three focuses of this study work. The first is to establish a VO2max prediction model for young adults in Taiwan. The second is to propose a methodology to determine the maximum acceptable work time (MAWT) for high-intensity work. The third is to verify whether or not the obtained relationship between workload and maximum acceptable work duration (MAWD) is in consistent with those of other literatures. Total 30 young adults participated in this study. Two levels of high-intensity and four levels of light and moderate workloads were simulated by a bicycle ergometer for performing experiments. The achievements include: establishing a VO2max prediction model with non-exercise predictors (i.e., gender, age, and Body Mass Index); finding the exponential decreasing relationship between MAWT and relative oxygen uptake as well as relative heart rate under high-intensity work; verifying the obtained relationship between workload and MAWD is in consistent with those of other literatures. For example, the results suggest that when the workload is at 34%VO2max, 8 hours is the upper limit for working. It is similar to other literature’s suggestion that workload at 33%VO2max is the upper limit for an 8-hour workday. And then, the standard operation procedure of the workload evaluation model with the concept of PDCA cycle was explained, and some limitations to this study were also given. It is believed that this paper provides useful information to evaluate the physical workload for young adults in Taiwan.