Abstract
This study conducted an ergonomic evaluation of the working posture of workers engaged in various processes in the packaging section of a food manufacturing company. Workers in the packaging section of the food manufacturing company were divided into operating, folding, packing, carton wrapping and palletizing. Forty of the workers in the packaging section were placed under observation through video recording of their daily activities for a period of three months to obtain their working postures. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) was used to analyze the working postures in order to obtain their ergonomic risk levels. Computer codes for RULA were written for quick and easy evaluation of upper arm, lower arm, wrist, wrist twist, neck, trunk and leg postures. The results from RULA indicated that 25% of the workers in the operating and folding units were exposed to medium ergonomic risk level; 30% of the workers in the packing unit and 10% of the workers in the carton wrapping unit were exposed to high ergonomic risk level while 10% of the workers in the palletizing unit were exposed to a very high ergonomic risk level. The study concluded that workers in the packaging section of the food manufacturing company were exposed to between medium and very high ergonomic risk levels of working posture necessitating the need to change the conditions of their workstations.
Highlights
There is strong evidence of an association among musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), workplace physical factors, and non-work related characteristics [1]
This study conducted an ergonomic evaluation of the working posture of workers engaged in various processes in the packaging section of a food manufacturing company using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)
The study was conducted for the ergonomic evaluation of packing workers in a food manufacturing company while performing their routine work
Summary
There is strong evidence of an association among musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), workplace physical factors, and non-work related characteristics [1]. Workload has been defined as a function of working posture, exerted force and time sequences [3]. Considering the enumerated factors, the main factors influencing workload are working posture and exerted force [2, 4]. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders lead to substantial economic losses to individuals and the community. In the industry, it results in reduced worker’s productivity, poor work quality, higher absenteeism and detrimental effects on worker’s physical and mental well-being [5]. In most of the food factories, more than five employees go on sick leave every month at a rate higher than two working days [6]
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