Ethiopian Anthropometry Measurements Using Medium Bus Car Seat Ergonomics: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as a Case Study

ABSTRACT

The majority of Ethiopia's public buses are customized from imported cargo trucks to accommodate people with various anthropometric traits. This mismatch leads to increased musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), discomfort for drivers and an increased risk of traffic accidents. This study defines ideal seat proportions based on Ethiopian anthropometry in order to close this crucial ergonomic safety gap. Key percentiles were examined after 157 Ethiopian drivers (119 men and 38 women) had their 11 anthropometric characteristics gathered. Seat height (44.19 cm), seat depth (44.04 cm), seat width (46.69 cm), backrest height (55.12 cm) and shoulder width (46.94 cm) are the suggested ideal seat specifications. Federal transport safety experts constructed, built and assessed a prototype seat in a medium bus. The suggested model's greater comfort and safety are demonstrated by the results, which also confirm notable departures from current seat designs. In order to lower MSDs and accident rates, the current study directly informs national transportation safety regulations by offering practical ergonomic guidelines for regional vehicle modification industries. The information also creates a fundamental anthropometric database for Ethiopian ergonomic design in the future.