Designing an Ergonomic Chair for Pedicurists and Manicurists in Quezon City, Philippines

Abstract

In the Philippines, there has been a growing population of businesses engaging in the industry of providing personal care services. From the statistics provided by the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics, in 2008 to 2010, there has been a 34.7% increase in the people employed in this sector .[1] These services include that of salons, with pedicure and manicure services consisting 23% and 19% respectively .[2] Manicurists and pedicurists suffer severe discomfort and pain due to the awkward posture and repetitive motions involved in their work. Manicurists and pedicurists are commonly seen hunching over, bowing and tilting their heads, and sitting in stools lower than their popliteal height. Because of this, the proponents of this study aim to design an ergonomically-fit chair suitable for manicurists and pedicurists. In line with this goal, the proponents conducted a survey in areas near the University of the Philippines Diliman to backup observations regarding the workers’ working posture and ailments occurring due to this. The need to change their working posture was analyzed through Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and necessary anthropometric measurements were obtained. From the survey conducted among the workers, the body parts which most often experienced pain were the neck, shoulders, and back. In addition, the legs, back, and hands were the areas perceived to experience the most severe pain while working. The legs and the back were also seen to be the areas where pain frequently occurs, as well as the chest part. Furthermore, the nature of their job entails that manicurists and pedicurists frequently tilt and bow their heads while working. These factors were taken into consideration for the design of the chair. Postures of the workers were evaluated by the proponents to support the claims of the participants. REBA of their working posture revealed that manicurists and pedicurists adopt high-risk postures that require immediate investigation to implement change. Using all the data gathered, the proponents designed a chair allowing workers to have a better posture. Regarding the improved ergonomic chair design for nail salon workers, it was suggested that further studies could include customer's anthropometric measurements to supplement the design of the chair and come up with a better set up beneficial for both the worker and the customer. In addition, attention should also be paid to the selection of the materials used in the chair.