• Be unobtrusive (avoid any interference with worker performance)

• Sample needs to be representative of the people and the work performed (e.g., demographics, shift)

• Most useful for jobs that are relatively structured

• Write down activities that are being performed [include work conditions (e.g., temperature, climbing/height), physical requirements (e.g., strength, agility, bending/stooping), equipment/tools used and how, personal protection equipment used (e.g., hard hat, gloves, ear and eye protection)

• Drawing the environment is beneficial

Observation Basics

Job Task: Replacing water pump (see task # 4)

Location: Outside (2 people); cramped quarters; about 3 feet of room to the sides of the motor, 1.5 feet below and above; steam pipes above PPE: Raincoat, face shield, and heavy gloves

• Disconnected coupling from motor to pump using combination (box-end) wrench to remove bolts (kneeling and reaching under and around the motor)

• Removed bolts from base plates (with wrench and hands)

• Removed coupling with wrench (tightened and pulled down hard)

• Removed strainer (bending over about 90 degrees) with combination wrench (kneeling down)

• Cleaned out pump by hand (removed chunks of polymer)

Observation Example

• Issues regarding asking questions to workers (timing, interference)

• Safety issues

• Access to locations

• Environmental hindrances (e.g., noise, heat, cold, protective safety equipment)

• Communication difficulties

• Not understanding the exact nature of behavior being performed

• Employee (and/or union) resistance

Observation Obstacles