| If you are a left-handed employee
working on an assembly line or workstation that
was designed by a right-handed person you would
not have to ask "what is the concern?"
Nine out of ten people are right-handed. That means
nine out of ten designers are right-handed. These
designers must be aware of the potential risks that
may occur when a left-handed employee is forced
to work on a right-handed machine or with a right-handed
tool (Zavitz, 1998).
Should left-handed employees be required to maintain
100 % efficiencies in a right-handed world? Should
they be forced to use their non-dominant hand?
These would not be issues if work was accommodated
for the left-handed employee (Zavitz, 1998).
Think about the right-handed world...
In the kitchen, a high number of utensils and
appliances, such as ice-cream scoops, potato peelers,
knives, can openers, ladles, coffee pots present
major problems for the left hander.
In the office, the number keypad on the keyboard
is located on the right side and typically the
mouse is set up and designed for a right-handed
user.
In an industrial setting, heavy tools, equipment,
power and hand tools, assembly operations, directions
of conveyor belts, and controls on heavy equipment
are typically designed and set up for right-handed
employees.
All workstation designers should determine if
handedness is a pertinent factor in the overall
operator control layout (Garonzik, 1989).
Be sure to think about the "left-hander"
when setting up or designing any workstation.
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