An Ergonomic Study: Bicycle Repairer in Rural India

Abstract

The present study investigates the ergonomic risk factors associated with bicycle repairers in rural India. It aims to find a workplace design solution which can be easily implemented at low cost to avoid postural load during prolonged awkward postures adopted by this group of workers. The study comprises questionnaire survey and experimental task involving activities related to puncture repairing. In this process, stools of various heights, i.e., no stool, 100, 150, and 200 mm were utilized to avoid postural load during squatting posture. Out of the selected twenty-one repairers, four (04) were selected for the electromyographic (EMG) study of their longissimus muscle of the erector spinae while they perform the experimental tasks. The hand pain scores obtained for different hand regions of twenty-one repairers were recorded. Results show that the bicycle repairers are subjected to various ergonomic risk factors and using a stool of height 100 mm may minimize the postural load during repairing tasks and other works which involve squatting posture.