CHAPTER 4

4. PRIMARY ERGONOMIC SURVEY

4.1. INTRODUCTION

In this research various ergonomics methods and techniques have been used and applied to obtain information related to musculoskeletal disorder and risk factors. Ergonomics evaluation is done by observational methods with the help of some tools of ERGOFELLOW SOFTWARE such as Image analysis, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Survey is done by making the questionnaire related to work, working conditaion and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) to get about actual problem existence.

4.2 OBSERVTION METHOD

This method needs to observe the procedure of the work by vendor and the positions of their ody posture during performing their job. The observation method has two way is through by video analysis or image capture. By this method, the position of body posture like awkward or normal position can be defined and also can findout the angles of each position of every body member. These data will analysis by a tool assessment such as RULA(Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) [13]

4.3. ERGOFELLOW SOFTWARE USED

The software was developed by FBF SISTEMAS in 2009 and it is very useful for ergonomicsts and for all professionals in the area of occupational safety and health. The software ERGOFELLOW has 17 ergonomic tools to evaluate and improve workplaces conditions, in order to reduce occupational risk and increase productivity.[14]

1. NIOSH (Revised Lifting Equation)

2. OWAS (Ovaco Working Posture Analysing System)

3. RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment)

4. REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)

5. SUZZANE RODGERS

6. MOORE E GARG (The Strain Index)

7. DISCOMFORT QUESTIONNAIRE

8. QEC (Quick Exposure Check)

9. LEHMANN

10. IMAGE ANALYSIS

11. VIDEO ANALYSIS

12. ANTHROPOMETRY

13. CALCULATION OF FORCE

14. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

15. HEAT STRESS

16. NOISE EXPOSURE (OSHA)

17. TYPING EVALUATION

From those tools only three tools has been used i.e. IMAGE ANALYSIS, VIDEO ANALYSIS, RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment).

4.3.1 IMAGE ANALYSIS

Image analysis is very important in the Eggonomics, mainly for evaluation of position and determination of points and angles. In this software, user can open an image , move it with the scrolbars , apply polar and linear grids, and calculate angles.

4.3.2 VIDEO ANALYSIS

Video analysis is very important in the Egonomics , mainly to evaluate posture, time in each posture, time of the work cycle, and improvement in the task act. In this software user can load a video, play it in three different speeds, increase zooms, regulate the sound and pause at any point during the execution.

4.4 DESIGN OF QUESTIONNARE

To get the information about the existence of problems related to vendor and working area, one questionnaire is made (Hindi and English) containing the questions related to, whole information of vendors (age, weight, height, working years) MSDs problems, working conditions, working environment, compatibility, working hours, the problem faced during working. (The Questionnaire is shown in appendix 1)

4.2. ANALYSIS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISORERS WITH QUESTIONNAIRE

A survey is done on 20 vendors by asking those questions (with the help of Hindi sheet) to them and data are analysed.

Information of vendor is given the Table 4.1 and Results are shown graphically in fig. 4.1

Total number of vendors 20

Age - 21 to 46 years

Working hours - 5 to 6 hours

Sl no

Name

Age

Weight

Height

Years of experience

Working hours

1

Sandip Jogdane

26

60

5.5

3

5

2

Netish Desai

35

65

5.7

12

6

3

Ekbal Khan

40

68

5.3

20

6

4

Samir Mujmule

28

70

5.7

4

6

5

Rum Wnkhade

46

68

5.6

20

5

6

Nilesh More

30

60

5.2

6

5

7

Imran

43

67

5.5

15

5

8

Amon Sakat

32

69

5.1

7

6

9

Sagar Jogdande

28

70

6

3

5

10

Pandit

26

68

5.7

2

5

11

Suraj Solanki

32

66

5.4

6

5

12

Pappu

27

63

5.6

2

5

13

Chotu

23

58

5.4

2

6

14

Anil kumar

42

69

5.7

17

5

15

Ashok Desai

32

61

5.5

8

5

16

Sumit Amle

40

70

5.1

15

5

17

Vikash Pande

29

60

5.3

5

5

18

Nikil Bisandre

30

65

5.7

8

6

19

Soyal Khan

32

63

5.2

5

20

Mridul akat

28

70

5.6

4

5

Table 4.1: Information for vendors participated in the survey

Those all surveyed sheet is analysed and it is seen that many vendors was facing the MSDs problem in various body parts. The percentage of vendors suffering from MSDs in different parts of the body are as back 70%, Neck 75%, Shoulder 55%, Wrist 40%, Leg 45%, Knee 50%, Arm 40%, Elbow 35%. The result is shown graphically in Figure 4.1.

Figure 4.1.: Graph of % of vendors suffering from MSDs problem in different body parts.

4.3 ANALYSIS OF WORKING POSTURE

Image analysis tool of ERGOFELLOW SOFTWARE and standard ROM (Range of Motion) (Table 2.2) containing the value of angle of different body parts movement are used to analyse posture. Photography and video are taken during working. Photo and freeze frame from video records are subjected to analyses. Posture angle is determined to help of photos. Measurement of the angle between the angle between the body parts, the length of working time for specific repetitive harmful postures and effort on the vendors is taken into account. Those angles of body parts movements are comparable with the table 2.1 and table 2.2 to get information about MSDs problems. Following figure shows the vendor posture analysis with the help of image analysis tools by drawing the different analysis on the image during the work.

Vendor- 1 selected for analysis was Sandi Jogdan , Age-26, Weight-60 and Height-5.5 feet

Fig 4.2 a: posture during work Fig. 4.2 b: diagram with posture angle

Vendor 2 selected for analysis was Pappu, Age-27, Weight-63 and Height-5.6 feet

Fig 4.3 a: posture during work Fig 4.3 b: diagram with posture angle

From above observation, it is seen that the posture is not suitable for working as the neck and trunk forward bending angle is not in a neutral angle (see table 2.2). Lower arm and upper arm too much angle to the body, also long duration static position is seen during working which is very much harmful for the body. Flexion, forward bending, in the hip-joint and back can cause lordships in the lumbar region.

4.4 RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) ANALYSIS:

4.4.1 FOR VENDOR -1

Angle

Degree

Neck Angle

25o

Trunk Angle

450

Upper arm

300

Lower arm

45o

Wrist

160

Leg

Balance

Lower arm- across the midline of the body, Wrist-wrist is bent away from the midline, Wrist twist- twisted away from handshake position, neck- twist, trunk-twist, leg and feet are well supported and in an evenly balanced posture

RESULT

From this it is seen that the score of RULA assessment is 7 i.e. high risk of MSDs problem. Hence there is need to investigate the working posture and action must take as early as possible to avoid further discrepancies.

4.4.1 FOR VENDOR -2

Angle

Degree

Neck Angle

20

Trunk Angle

5

Upper arm

30

Lower arm

45

Wrist

15

Leg

Balance

Lower Arm- across out side of the body,Wrist twist- twisted away from handshake position, Neck- twist, Leg and Feet are well supported and in an evenly balanced posture.

RESULT

From this it is seen that the score of RULA assessment is 5 i.e. high risk of MSDs problem. Hence there is need to investigate the working posture and changes are required soon.

4.5. OVEARALL SURVAY RESULT

ACTIVITY

TOOL

SCORE

RISK LEVEL

ACTION

Vendor made and served food at ground level in standing position

RULA

7 & 5

High

Investigation & changes required immediately

WMSDs

Shoulder, neck,

Elbow, back,

Leg,

High

Change working posture

4.6. CONCLUTION

From the above analysis, it was confirmed that the working place is not suitable for working and vendors. Vendors are going through the MSDs problem and there is need to study, analysis that working area, to get a proper method or technique or remedy all those problems.

.

YES(%)LegKneeBackArmShoulderElbowWristNeck4550704055354075NO(%)LegKneeBackArmShoulderElbowWristNeck5550306045656025