WORK MEASUREMENT

Method Study
To simplify the job and develop more
economical methods of doing it
Work
Study
Work Measurement
To determine how long it
should take to carry out

Higher
productivity
1. Introduction to Work Measurement

◼ Also known as time measurement or time study.

Definition (BS 3138) :

The application of techniques designed to establish the time
for a qualified worker to carry out a task at a defined rate of
working.
◼ Specific techniques used to determine the time required for a
qualified worker, at a normal rate to carry out a task.

◼ This time is called the standard time.

◼ In conducting time measurement, ineffective time may be

identified and improvement may be proposed.
Uses of standard time :
1. Measure performance of an operation or a series of operation.
2. Comparison between alternatives.
3. Line balancing.
4. Determine number of machines or load a worker can manage.
5. Assist in production planning and scheduling.
6. Assist in determining the standard cost, selling price, tender,
etc.
Procedures for time measurement :
1) Select – the task to be measured.

2) Record – all the required data in the form suitable for time measurement.

3) Analyze – critically to check that effective method and motion are used.

4) Measure – quantity / time of each work element using the appropriate

techniques.

5) Compile – total standard time for the task including the allowances.

6) Define – accurately the activity and method for which the standard time
applies.
1) Select
Why a task may be selected :
◼ New product / component, no time standard is yet available.
◼ Existing product or method but standard time is still not available.
◼ Changes in the task (i.e. material, method) .
◼ Complaints from worker regarding time standard.
◼ Before an incentive scheme based on time or production rate is
introduced.
◼ To identify problems such as bottleneck, high idle time, low production
rate, high operation cost.
How to approach a worker

◼ A good relation with the

worker need to be establish
before measurement can be
conducted.

◼ Inform the related foreman,

supervisor on the objective
of method study and time
measurement.
Guidelines :
◼ Never give instructions directly to a worker.
Instruction should be given through their superiors.

◼ Consult the supervisors or foremen when required.

◼ Never get involve. You are there to do work study.

◼ Get a superior to introduce you to the workers

involved in your study.

◼ In work study, you cannot work alone!

2) Record
◼ Record all information on the task including the
operation and environment.

◼ Details and diagrams on the method / task to be

measured.

◼ Task need to be divided into elements, tabulated

in a suitable table to ease measurement.

◼ The start and end of each element must be clear to

avoid error and confusion.
Guideline in dividing a task into elements:
◼ Elements must be easily recognized with clearly defined start and end
so that it can be identified repetitively.

◼ Each element should be as short and as simple as possible to enable

a qualified observer to record the time.

◼ Manual elements must be separated from machine elements.

◼ Fixed elements must be separated from elements that varies.

◼ Elements that does not occur in every cycle must be studied

separately from the other elements.
Example : Lift
◼ Identify the start and end of each element. (Assume only one person is
using the lift)
Element Start End
1. Wait for lift to arrive When finger touches button. When door begins to open.
(machine element) Or when bell rings
2. Enter & instruct lift When door begins to open. When finger touches the
(manual element) Or when bell rings button indicating which
floor to go.
3. Lift operate up/down When finger touches the button When door begins to open.
(machine element) indicating which floor to go. Or when bell rings
4. Exit lift. When door begins to open. The moment both feet step
(manual element) Or when bell rings on the floor outside the lift.
3) Analyze
◼ Check the accuracy of the recorded
data.

◼ For the case of new/propose method

check that the effective motions and
methods are used.

◼ At this stage ineffective motions can

still be identified and eliminated / improved.
4) Measure
◼ Techniques to measure work / time:

1. Stopwatch method.
2. Predetermined Time System.
3. Standard time.
4. Activity Sampling
Stopwatch method
◼ Basic equipment required:

1. Stopwatch – snapback or continuous (1 second is

divided into 100 unit).
2. Calculator
3. Study form – designed to ensure data is complete and
to ease time study.
4. Time study board – to place form and stopwatch.
5. Measuring equipment – to measure other parameters
such as distance, weight etc.
6. Video camera
Number of observations:
◼ Adequate number of data need to be
collected of each element to ensure the
accuracy of the standard time.

◼ This can be determined based on the

specified level of confidence and the
allowable amount of error through statistics.

◼ 95% level of confidence is usually adequate.

 Formula :
◼ Taking a preliminary sample of less than 30:

Where:
s = sample standard deviation
x = individual readings
x = sample mean
k = acceptable error
t = percentage point of t distribution
Example : Number of observations
Time of element 1 (seconds) xi (xi – x )2

1.02 0.0016
1.32 0.0676
1.08 0.0004
0.99 0.0049
1.04 0.0004
0.96 0.0100
1.18 0.0144
0.90 0.0256
Σx = 8.49, x = 1.061 Σ(xi – x)2 = 0.1249
Using the formula :
At confidence level 95%, error = ± 5%,
n = 2.365 x 0.1335 2
0.05 x 1.06
n = 35.48 = 36 readings.
At confidence level 90%, error = ± 10%,
n = 1.894 x 0.1335 2
0.10 x 1.06
n = 5.7 = 6 readings.
Thus, more readings are required for higher accuracy.
What is Rating?

◼ Rating is the process where the time

study analyst compares the
performance (speed or tempo) of
the operator under observation
with the observer’s own concept of
normal time for the job.
Why the need for rating?

◼ To get the standard time at the

normal speed and tempo as
defined in the definition of time

◼ Operators may work faster or

slower than the normal rate, thus
normalization needs to be done
before standard time may be
calculated.
Normal time / Basic time

Standard time
Factors affecting the rate of work:
◼ Outside the control of workers:
i. Variation in quality & characteristics of the material used.
ii. Variation in the efficiency of tools & equipment.
iii. Small variations in the method and condition of the
operation.
iv. Variation in mental attention.
v. Variation in weather and the environment.
◼ Within the control of workers:
i. Acceptable variation in the quality of a product.
ii. Variation due to workers ability.
iii. Variation due to attitude of mind.
British Standard rating scale:
◼ 0% – no activity

◼ 100% - standard rating

Standard rating
1) The average rate at which qualified workers will naturally
work, using the specified method without excessive stress.
2) If this is maintained & the appropriate relaxation is taken, the
worker can maintain this rate of work over the whole working
day or shift.
Rating value :
◼ 100 - if working at normal rate (standard rate).

◼ Less than 100 if working below the normal rate.

◼ More than 100 if working above the normal rate.

Normal time / Basic time

Standard time
◼ If the rating estimated by a time study analyst is always
right, it does not matter how many times he or she rates and
records the observed time of that element, the results will be
a constant.

◼ (Observed time) X (% Rating) = Constant

= Normal time or Basic time
Example : Normal time
Cycle Observed time (minutes) Rating Normal time
OT R OT x R
1 0.20 100 0.20
2 0.16 125 0.20
3 0.25 80 0.20

Normal time = observed time x observed rating

standard rating
= observation time x % rating
 ◼ Performance at standard rate:
Effect of rating Normal time = Observed time (i.e. 0.20 x 100%= 0.20)
on normal time
◼ Performance above standard rate:

Observed time OT x (R-100)/100

Normal time (i.e. 0.16 x 125/100 = 0.20)

◼ Performance below standard rate:

OT x (R-100)/100
Observed time

Normal time (i.e. 0.25 x 0.80/100 = 0.20)

Normal time / Basic time

Standard time
Allowance

◼ Normal time does not consider allowances.

◼ Allowances are necessary for standard time.

◼ 3 basic types of allowances.

1. Rest Allowances
- To allow worker to recover from fatigue.

- Amount of allowance depends on the

nature of work.

- Added to the normal time element by

element as each element may be conducted
under different environments and conditions.
Rest allowances may be divided into 2:

◼ Fixed allowance
1) Personal needs
2) Basic fatigue

◼ Variable allowance
- added to fixed allowance
- amount added depends on the environment and conditions of work.

There are various suggestions for allowance. Need to choose the

appropriate ones.
 Example :
International Labour Organization (ILO) System Rest Allowance
Percentage Table (in %)
2. Contingency allowances
◼ To meet legitimate and expected items of work or delays.
◼ (i.e. Machine breakdown, small adjustment, changes in material and
disruption from supervisors).
◼ May be determined statistically (percentage)

3. Special allowances
◼ Given for activities that are usually not part of the operation cycle.
◼ Eg. Start-up, shut down, warm-up, set-up and change over.
Standard Time
◼ The total time in which a task should be completed at standard
performance.

Standard time = Normal time + (Normal time x % Allowance)

= Normal time (1 + % Allowance)

OR

Standard time = Normal time x 100_______

100 - % Allowance
◼ There are 2 ways that time can be recorded
using a stopwatch :

1. Snap back
Stop watch is returned to 0 at the start of each
element.

2. Continuous
Stop watch is allowed to keep running until the
end of the study. Time is recorded at the end
of each element. Thus further calculations
need to be done at the end of the observation
to obtain the time for each element.
 Example 1 : Standard time (Lift)
Snap back method were used.
Confidence level = 95% , Acceptable error = ±5%
Element Time for each cycle (seconds) Number of observations
1 2 3 4 5 required
1. Wait for lift to arrive 10 9 9 10 10 11
(machine element)
2. Enter & instruct lift 4.5 5 5 4.5 4.8 11
(manual element)
3. Lift operate up/down 10 12 11 10 10.5 22
(machine element)
4. Exit lift 4.6 4.4 5 5 4.8 11
(manual element)

Thus, more data need to be collected.

Element Time for each cycle (seconds)
10 9 9 10 10 9 9 10 8 10
1
11

2 4.5 5 5 4.5 4.8 5 4 4.2 6

10 12 11 10 10.5 11 11 12 12 10 11
3
10 11 11 11 12 10.5 11 12 11 10 11

4 4.6 4.4 5 5 4.8 6 5 4 4 5

Example of Time Study Form
Example 1 : Standard time (Lift)
Allowances :
Rest allowance = personal + basic fatigue + standing = 7 + 4 + 4 = 15 %
Contingency allowance = Special allowance = 0%
Thank you