Risk assessment towards innovative ergonomic design of a tricycle

The current design and construction of the tricycle in the Philippines is geared more towards aesthetics, which sometimes neglects the passengers comfort and safety. Risk assessments were first conducted to come up with an innovative design of a tricycle that would be safe and comfortable to ride. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment was conducted to assess the postural risk of the passengers using surveys and questionnaires based on the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, face-to-face interviews and written questionnaires for passengers, drivers, and for the “latero” to determine the demand of the users, muscular discomfort and satisfaction. Quality Function Deployment was used to determine the initial specifications by evaluating the customer requirements. The point of view of the passengers was determined through survey questionnaires and the analysis of the modifications responsive to these needs was set in order to ensure that the passengers´ needs are met. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis served as an efficient method in the risks involved with the use of the product. Lastly, ergonomic principles were applied to appropriately dimension the passengers´ cabin and the back ride by applying the concepts of Anthropometry.