A continued labor shortage in the construction industry means it is a priority for companies to use every means possible to attract and retain skilled operators — including providing a comfortable workspace in the cab.
Patrick Baker, excavator product manager for Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas, pointed out that the cab is essentially an equipment operator’s office on the jobsite. Not only does adding comfort and safety to work that is carried out in the elements provide a positive working environment for operators, but it also increases productivity and profitability for the contractor.
Cab Comfort Key to Work Performance
This IRONMARKETS story and this one detail the value of cab comfort features in terms of boosted productivity, increased safety, enhanced visibility, greater ability to control movements, and acquire information more concisely. 
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas
That enhanced cab comfort, which has significant potential to lead to greater productivity in the long run, also can be a driving factor in employee retention.
Any features that are designed to reduce fatigue allow equipment operators to stay alert and focused for longer periods of time.
Joysticks, for example, help minimize fatigue. Electric-hydraulic joystick controls provide low-effort control and reduce the number of hydraulic lines in the cab. Larger cab sizes and ergonomic controls can help reduce equipment operator fatigue. Lumbar support also can reduce operator fatigue. Pressurized cabs keep the operator's environment clean from elements such as water, dust, and pollutants.
Cab Comfort Protects Operators’ Health
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control published this study that indicates construction workers who operate heavy equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, cranes, and backhoes frequently generate large quantities of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust.
Exposure to even small amounts of RCS over time can cause silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other serious diseases.
The article notes a recent study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found that 79% of the 100,000 workers exposed to RCS above the recommended exposure limit (REL) worked in the construction industry. 
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas
Enclosed cabs that are not well designed or functioning properly can expose the operator to harmful concentrations of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health research found that filter efficiency and the use of a recirculation filter were the most important performance factors for enclosed cabs. An effective filtration system should remove at least 95% of respirable aerosols such as dust, diesel particulate, and droplets.
Sound insulation can significantly reduce the noise levels that are inherently part of construction activity and provide a quieter working environment for the operator to concentrate on the task at hand.
Heated, fully adjustable air-ride seats provide comfort as needed. Adjustable armrest-mounted controls, steering wheels, and pedals are designed to comfortably accommodate operators of all sizes. Ride control that prevents unnecessary pitching and ensures smooth travel for the operator also leads to increased productivity.
Cab Features Key to Safety
Cabs with panoramic visibility also help create a safe and comfortable working environment. The position and design of the cab pillars and the monitor and switch panel layout are important considerations that can affect the equipment operator’s field of view from the cab.
The addition of LED lighting also can provide long-lasting illumination for safe, low-light applications.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas
Storage compartments that provide ample space for tools, personal items, and documents help keep the cab organized.
Throughout the construction industry, equipment manufacturers are responding to requests for more cab comfort — especially that which aligns with ergonomic trends — and in doing so, can help increase a contractor’s bottom line through increased productivity and greater employee retention.
“You want the operators as comfortable as possible during 8-, 10- or 12-hour shifts so they can keep moving dirt or loading pipe,” Baker pointed out. “Whatever they are doing, you want to maximize productivity. To accomplish this, the operator needs to be able to find a really comfortable operating setup.”
Hitachi Cab Redesigns Address Cab Comfort Needs
Cognizant that operator comfort is key to reducing fatigue and increasing productivity, that knowledge was a priority when Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas redesigned the operator stations on its latest generation machines, Baker noted.
“It starts with a larger cab on all of the ZAXIS-7 excavators — that’s both length and head space,” he added. “The cab features increased head clearance and leg room with a one-touch adjustable air suspension seat synchronized to move with the console for simplified adjustments. This console features an ergonomic layout with intuitive controls for operator convenience and enhanced visibility on the right side of the cab.”
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas
Baker pointed out that since exposure to noise and vibration will fatigue construction equipment operators throughout the workday, the cab on the latest ZAXIS-7 generation of excavators has been designed with less vibration and noise for an improved operating experience.
Noise has been minimized by increasing the thickness of the rear glass on the excavators. A seal has been added between the cab and floor plate.
“This improves the airtightness of the cab to keep dust out, even when the air conditioner is running,” said Baker. “Four fluid-filled elastic cab mounts reduce vibration when traveling.”
Caterpillar Responds to Operator Comfort Requests
Speaking to cab comfort and ergonomic trends, Greg Worley, Caterpillar global marketing professional, noted, “If the operator is uncomfortable, everything is wrong with the machine — the rattle, the squeak, the poor ergonomics, too hot, too cold, etc.”
Factors to mitigate that discomfort include comfortable seating with good adjustment and in some cases, air suspension and heat, Worley added.
“Important ergonomic trends include easy-to-adjust armrests as not everyone is the same, footrests, easy-to-use travel pedals, Stick Steer, and cruise control options in the case of the Cat next-gen models,” said Worley.
Worley concurred with other industry experts that heating and air conditioning that works with great ventilation and airflow to keep the cab comfortable in various weather conditions is significant to cab comfort as is good visibility around the machines.
Worley explained that even in compact equipment, cabs can be roomier.
Larger cabs are important for equipment operators for a variety of reasons.
Ergonomic design is important for compact equipment cabs due to the limited space available inside of them, Baker noted, pointing out that “Operators still demand all-day comfort to maximize productivity.”
“Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas has responded by significantly enlarging cab space on ZAXIS-7 series compact excavators,” he said. “There is more head clearance when opening the front window.”
Given that getting into and out of compact equipment can prove more challenging for operators, Hitachi Construction Machinery addressed this challenge with spacious operator stations featuring wide entryways, making entering and exiting the cab safe and easy, Baker added.
“A low cabin floor height improves access,” he pointed out. “Swing boom and foldable travel pedals are positioned for easy operation while allowing plenty of foot room.”
Worley noted that construction equipment cabs need to be comfortable for people of all sizes.
“Getting in and out easily and being able to sit comfortably to operate helps operators be more efficient,” he added. “No one ever likes being squeezed into small places.”
Addressing some of the cab requirements equipment operators expect to have, Worley agreed that comfortable seats are essential.
“A comfortable seat belt that is wide and anti-cinching” is another requirement, he said, adding “effective but easy-to-use monitors” are also key, he added.
“These are the portal between the operator and the machine,” Worley added.
Acknowledging that construction company contractors want to attract and retain the best operators, features such as HVAC systems, air suspension seats, adjustable ergonomic controls, LED lighting, and Bluetooth radio have become important and thus a driving factor in Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas offering them in the company’s ZAXIS-7 excavator cabs, Baker noted.
“An air suspension seat provides all-day comfort while the soft pad-style armrests can be adjusted for height and angle without tools,” he added. “Switch positions on the keypad with jog dial control have been relocated to an easy-to-reach location for reduced fatigue.”
Construction equipment manufacturer experts agree that many amenities add to an operator’s positive experience in the cab.
“An in-cab monitor controls the Bluetooth radio and allows convenient communication on the ZAXIS-7 excavators,” Baker said. “The operator can listen to music and make hands-free calls from the cab. 
CASE Construction Equipment
“Long-lasting LED lights provide visibility in challenging lighting conditions,” he continued. “Low-effort pilot controls reduce operator strain. For convenience, switches have been collectively installed on the right side with easy access to those frequently used.”
Worley concurred that construction equipment operators’ desired amenities in cabs include the ability to stream music into the machine via Bluetooth and conduct hands-free calling, improving communication and reducing distraction.
“An effective port for charging your device and space for lunch packs, drinks, and coat hooks all come into play,” Worley added.
In addition to features that enhance cab comfort, ergonomics, and provide amenities, safety features are critical considerations in construction equipment cab design.
“Unobstructed visibility to work being performed as well as all around the machine’s working envelope helps keep everyone on the jobsite safe,” said Baker. “Operators can view everything going on around the machine -- not just what is happening in front of the machine.”
Panoramic visibility from the operator’s seat helps create a safe working environment, he added.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas offers an Aerial Angle peripheral vision camera system, providing five different camera views from inside the cab on an eight-inch anti-glare LCD monitor, including a wide 270-degree bird’s-eye view of the machine’s immediate environment.
“The operator can quickly and easily select a view on the monitor that best suits the situation,” Baker pointed out. “The operator is even able to see the area right below the counterweight with a rearview camera.”
Worley said that important safety features include emergency exits, advanced cameras, florescent retractable seat belts, delayed lighting for when exiting at night, skylights for overhead visibility, units with E-Fence capabilities, Rollover Protection Structures, and Tip-Over Protection Structure certification.
Operator comfort is indeed key to productivity, Baker noted. 
CASE Construction Equipment
“This includes the control layout. Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas offers ergonomic hydraulic control levers to reduce fatigue and provide smooth control,” he added.
“Comfortable cabs that give an operator a great experience will help retain your workforce and attract people to you for new jobs and expansion,” Worley concluded.
CASE Upgrades Equipment for Comfort
CASE Construction Equipment recently announced new models and upgrades to empower construction and utility crews facing labor shortages and constrained jobsites in an effort to allow teams to accomplish more with less amidst growing demands from booming infrastructure investments.
“Labor shortages continue to shrink the workforce, while at the same time, companies are challenged to work more productively and more profitably,” said Terry Dolan, vice president, North America, CASE Construction Equipment. “We geared our latest round of CASE innovations toward helping crews maneuver these challenges more effectively and efficiently than ever before.”
Among its offers are cab improvements, such as offers in the new CASE CX50D mini excavator. CASE provides an automotive-style cab focusing on comfort, control, and convenience with features such as auto climate control with heat and A/C, Bluetooth radio, a five-way adjustable seat, and a customizable LCD screen that provides important data on the machine and attachments.
CASE Construction Equipment
“When production demands on difficult jobsites require long days of uninterrupted work, operator comfort is key to productivity for the long haul,” pointed out Neil Detra, product manager — full-size and compact wheel loaders. “We designed this new machine with operators top of mind to provide an experience that’s like taking your office to the jobsite.”
CASE H Series rough-terrain forklift 586H and 588H model updates include an optional factory-designed, built, and installed enclosed cab with operator-friendly features such as air conditioning, heat, Bluetooth radio, USB charging ports, and noise and dust suppression designed to enable operators to work in all kinds of weather conditions.
The cab features wide doors that secure completely open, designed to enable easy communication with crew and increased airflow. The cab also features an overhead roof window for better visibility to overhead loads.
