Track: Manufacturing

Abstract

Ergonomics plays an important role to improve health, safety and productivity at workplaces. Nowadays, many workers were faced with the increasing incidence of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD); the industries had taken multiple initiatives to reduce the risk by design the mechanical machine or supportive tool based on ergonomic criteria. In this context, the current study has been carried out in groceries shop at where most of workers were continuously exposed to MSD risk factors (e.g. repetitive manual tasks and awkward postures) and suffering from some kind of musculoskeletal complaint. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate ergonomic risk referred manual handling. In addition, the goal for this study is designing a specific tool to ease the workers and reduce risk. 3 groceries shops are chosen randomly to complete the objectives of this study. The methods used to evaluate the risk are RULA and REBA assessment. The scores of REBA for all the workers are 10, 9 and 8 respectively while the RULA score is 7 for all workers. Besides, the intensity of work related injury was assessed using NIOSH Lifting Index. The workers score higher values for lifting index. The results showed that the ergonomic interventions are essential to reduce the mismatch between workers and workstations physical conditions, contributing to the postural correction and, consequently, to the MSD prevention. The supportive tool is design based on condition of workplace and several criteria.