A Study on Ergonomic Awareness among Workers Performing Manual Material Handling Activities

Abstract

Manual material handling (MMH) is the most common cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and low back pain (LBP). It involves manual lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing and pulling loads. This study has three main objectives, first: to identify ergonomics awareness towards MMH activities amongst the workers; second, to identify the body discomfort or body pain of the workers using Body Parts Symptom Survey (BPSS); and third to study the LBP and MSDs risk exposure in reference to MMH practiced by the workers using RULA. The respondents for the study were selected from the production area. There were 32 respondents who answered questionnaires regarding ergonomics awareness and reported their body pains through Body Parts Symptom Survey (BPSS) included in the 5-scale Likert questionnaires. Based on the self-reported survey, 7 subjects were chosen to be observed through Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Evaluation of ergonomic awareness on MMH amongst workers on research area shows that they possess a moderate ergonomics awareness level (mean score 2.97). The BPSS used in this research provides the insight of discomfort issue amongst workers. Nine workers who are working at loading and collection bay were detected to have LBP and MSD problem symptoms. Based on RULA observations on work stations and MMH motions, it was found that the MMH methods used is on level 4. This means that the current method employed should be investigated and immediate changes should be applied. It is recommended that the management should put more effort to increase workers ergonomics awareness especially during MMH activities, to re-examine the MMH activities and redesign the work flow or the workstations.