The Improvement of Work Posture Using RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) Analysis to Decrease Subjective Disorders of Strawberry Farmers in Bali

Abstract

Workload was predicted based on work pulse that was measured using 10 beats method on radial artery with stopwatch. The indication of subjective disorders was measured based on the farmers’ general fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders before and after work. General fatigue was measured using 30 Items Self Rating Questionnaire Industrial Fatigue Research Committee from Japan Association of Industrial Health, while musculoskeletal disorders were measured using NIOSH Nordic Body Map Subjective Filling. Environment temperature was measured using sling Psychrometer. Noise was measured using Gossen’s sound level meter. Statistical analysis to find out the mean difference of the data before and after work was analyzed using t-Paired test with significance level of 5%. RULA result recommended changing from bending work posture using the old tool into standing work posture using new hole maker. The old work posture (P0) showed RULA grand score of 7 with high risk level, while the new work posture (P1) showed RULA grand score of 3 with low risk level. There was significant difference on subjective disorders of the farmers (p<0.05) on P0 and P1 on general fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders. The fatigue score of P0 was 51.27 while P1 was 40.82 which meant there was reduction of 20.4%. While the musculoskeletal disorders score of P0 was 70.75 and P1 was 50.58 which meant there was reduction of 28.5%. It can be concluded that the improvement of work posture using RULA analysis decreases work risk level and subjective disorders of strawberry farmers in Bali.