ABSTRACT
The introduction of new technologies in the automobile industry produces a substantial structural change. This change may lead to a decrease in physical work with a contrary increase in mental and emotional stress at monitoring and controlling tasks. A summarizing analysis of the stress was made by means of the "Arbeitswissenschaftliches Erhebungsverfahren zur Tätigkeitsanalyse (AET)" and for characteristic working conditions the energy expenditure during work was measured. As indicators of strain, the heart rate was registered continuously with portable magnetic tape recorders and additionally the urinary excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline was analyzed. During and after the implementation of new technologies a shift from physical to mental and/or emotional stress could be observed, but the remaining components of physical load are not to be disregarded and the changing strain patterns have to be analyzed carefully during the transitional stages of the implementation process.
