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Subject: Family Resource Management × Author: Aprajita Kumari × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2010 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Occupational Risk Factors of Workers Engaged in Food Processing Enterprises of Punjab
    (Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2018) Aprajita Kumari; Harpinder Kaur
    The present study was conducted on “Occupational Risk Factors of Workers Engaged in Food Processing Enterprises of Punjab”, with the objectives; to ergonomically assess the workplace of workers engaged in selected micro, small and medium scale food processing enterprises of Punjab; to study occupational risk factors faced by the workers engaged in selected micro, small and medium scale food processing enterprises of Punjab; to analyse the postural and musculoskeletal problems of the workers and to suggest measures for reducing occupational risk factors of the workers engaged in food processing enterprises. Study was conducted in two parts i.e. field survey and field experiment. For conducting the field survey, six micro, three small and two medium scale enterprises were selected. From all the three type of enterprises, 50 respondents were selected making a total of 150 respondents. A well structured interview schedule was used to ergonomically assess the workplace and to study the occupational risk factors faced by workers engaged in the enterprises. Subjective ergonomic scales like Postural Discomfort Scale, Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and rating of perceived exertion were used to assess the discomfort level of respondents at workplace. A total sample of 15 subjects from the sample of field survey having the permissible limit of physiological parameters and who were actively involved in the activity were selected for field experiment to analyse postural and musculoskeletal problems faced by respondents. Objective assessment scales like Rapid Entire Body Assessment, Quick Exposure Checklist, Ovako Working posture Analysis System, and angle of deviation were used to analyse the postures adopted during food processing activities. Results revealed that the workstation dimensions of food processing enterprises were not in accordance with the recommendations. The respondents working in food processing enterprises rated that highest musculoskeletal discomfort was felt at wrists and its Mean Score (MS) was 2.84, followed by neck (MS=2.79), and lower back (MS=2.58) regions. In micro scale enterprises, peeling, cutting and pulp extraction (MS=3.62); in small scale, storage of finished products (MS=3.55) and in medium scale, unloading (MS=3.14) and packing (MS=3.10) were the highest exertion prone activities. Postures like forward bending and twisting of spine as well as flexion and consecutive extension of spine were the most risky postures adopted by respondents during processing of food. Certain measures were suggested to reduce the occupational risk factors of the respondents. Four tools were developed and tested on the basis of feasibility scores to know their acceptability.