Analysis of Working Postures in Rubber Manufacturing Industry by using OWAS and RULA Methods

Abstract

The basic conditions of working in a healthy and safe workplace are to design the job in accordance with the anthropometric measurements, body strength and personal characteristics of the person, to ensure that the materials, machinery and equipment used in the working process are suitable for the employee's capacity, and to provide an environment that will produce positive psycho-social results. Correct analysis methods should be used and evaluated in order to meet this basic requirement. Identifying the negative effects of working postures, taking corrective measures and improving them is a critical step of an efficient working environment. Working postures that are not properly analyzed cause strain on workers and even discomfort. It provides important contributions in the field of analyzing and improving working postures with scientific methods, controlling work performance and reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System) and RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) are successfully applied in various fields in the analysis of working postures. In this study, it was aimed to determine the MSDs risk levels of the workers working in the rubber industry by OWAS and RULA methods and measures were proposed for these risks. While OWAS analysis was obtained by using expert opinions in the study, CATIAV5R20 program was used for RULA analysis. The study includes the examination of 5 different postures in total. In the OWAS and RULA results of the study, it was seen that the most risky postures are attach the rubber hose to the cores and to place the rubber hoses attached to the cores in the autoclave. The results of the analysis showed that the RULA method is more suitable and reliable than the OWAS method for the analysis of the tasks in the vulcanization process workstations.