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ThesisItem Restricted CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF HOME ACCIDENTS IN RURAL AND URBAN HOUSEHOLDS OF LUDHIANA DISTRICT(PAU Ludhiana, 2013) Deepika Sharma; Pushpinder, SandhuPresent study was undertaken to explore home accident incidents, their causes and consequences; and to develop guidelines on home safety for rural and urban households. Sample of 140 households was randomly selected from both areas of Ludhiana District. Interview schedule was used to gather data. Modified Impact of Event Scale was used to assess impact of accidents. Modified Safety Assessment Scale was used to judge home safety. Results revealed that the impact of most recently encountered accidents on victims was not meaningful on urban victims (IES Score 3.51); but rural victims had more impact (IES Score 5.76). Safety assessment scoring revealed minimum safety regarding fire and burns (Rural=8.34; Urban=8.15). Safety features like smoke bell, fire extinguisher and sand buckets were not seen in any of the sampled houses. Most lacking safety features were: stairs without rail, dark areas, narrow passages, gas cylinder near burner, greasy floors, low parapet, split levels and no safety caps on sockets. Sharp tools and cooking were perceived to be most hazardous. Kitchen, washroom and stairs were identified as accident prone areas by all respondents. There were 92 accident victims from rural and 60 from urban (sampled) households; most of them in 20-40 year age group and females. Maximum number of victims had injury due to cut or crush. Six fractures, one permanent disability and one death was also reported. More rural respondents neglected home safety; had noticeable impact of accident events; and were conspicuous by their higher numbers as victims compared to urban sampled population.ThesisItem Open Access PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR FOR SELECTED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS: A STUDY OF RURAL AND URBAN HOMEMAKERS(PAU Ludhiana, 2011) Inderpreet Kaur; Savita, BatishThe present study was conducted in rural and urban area of Ludhiana district with objectives; to know the purchase behaviour of rural and urban home makers for selected household items, to examine the factors influencing purchase behavior, to study the problems experienced by respondents while making purchases and to suggest guidelines for the empowerment of respondents. Sixty respondents each from rural and urban area were taken as sample of the study. Household items viz. processed food items and kitchen equipment were selected. Data were collected through personal interview. Results revealed that respondents from both the area were not following wise purchase practices viz. making of budget, deciding about what, when and from where to buy, remaining alert during weighing, checking of government seal on weights, checking for quality assurance marks, getting and checking cash memo etc. Checking of government seal on weights was least considered purchase practice as nearly 95.00 per cent of the respondents from both the area did not check it. More than 80.00 per cent of the rural respondents never get and check the cash memo whereas 76.67 per cent of the urban respondents sometimes followed this practice. Respondents were facing various problems like short weight, adulteration, misbranding, overpricing, duplicity, poor quality, false packaging, out-dated products and substandard material, duplicate parts, false guarantee, poor after sales service, no exchange facility regarding kitchen equipment. Nearly 80.00 per cent of the rural respondents and 60.00 per cent of the urban respondents were not able to recognize the original quality assurance marks from the deceptive ones and were also unaware about the consumer protection rights. More than 95.00 per cent of the respondents never sought justice for their grievances by approaching consumer court. In spite of facing so many problems a small percentage i.e. 03.33 per cent of the respondents in rural area and nearly 10.00 per cent of the respondents in urban area were those who took actions against the business malpractices.ThesisItem Open Access ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF WORK STATION FOR FEMALES ENGAGED IN COOKING ACTIVITIES(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2010) Bhatt, HemaStudy was undertaken to do ergonomic assessment of kitchen workstation for females engaged in cooking activities, with objectives; to study the problems faced by women in existing workstation, to assess the physiological parameters of female workers engaged in selected cooking activities and to evaluate the design of selected work station in-terms of ergonomic standards. Study was conducted in two phases (survey and field experiment). In first phase eighty homemakers were taken from Ludhiana. Information was gathered regarding the existing physical features and environmental conditions of the kitchen along with respondent‟s anthropometric measurements. In phase-II, sixteen respondents having similar physical and physiological parameters were selected. For experimentation five activities; cutting, grating, kneading, rolling and dish-washing were selected. Results revealed that in urban areas all respondents had closed, standing kitchen with either „L‟ or „U‟ shaped counters. Kitchen area ranged between 6.7 to 8.4 sq. m. Storage facility was found neglected in many of kitchens as it was beyond comfortable reach of homemakers. The environmental conditions were also found above the recommended limits affecting working efficiency. Results also revealed that energy expenditure ranged from 7.0 to10 kj\min, TCCW was between 200.81 to 364.30 beats, PCW was 12.82 to 26.26 beats\min; maximum for grating and minimum for rolling. The percent increase in heart rate was maximum for grating 38.56 and minimum for rolling 16.20. Reduction in grip and pinch strength of right hand was found more as compared to the left hand. The percent deviation in thoracic and in lumbar region was maximum during kneading and minimum during rolling.ThesisItem Open Access MUSCULOSKELETAL AND VISUAL PROBLEMS FACED BY FEMALE VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINAL (VDT) USERS(PAU, 2014) Khushdeep Kaur; harpinder kaurThe present study was conducted on “Musculoskeletal and Visual problems faced by female Video Display Terminal (VDT) users”, with objectives; to evaluate the work station design of video display terminal users on the basis of ergonomic parameters; to assess the work related musculoskeletal and visual problems faced by female VDT users and to formulate a guide as a preventive intervention in reducing the musculoskeletal and visual problems of VDT users. Study was conducted in two phases i.e. field survey and field experiment. Field survey was conducted on 120 female employees working on Video Display Terminals (VDT) in different banks of Ludhiana District. A pre-structured interview schedule was used to ergonomically evaluate the work station design of female VDT users. The musculoskeletal problems of respondents were assessed by using subjective scales i.e. Postural Discomfort Scale (Corlett and Bishop 1976) and Standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (SNMQ). A total of 20 female employees from the sample of field survey having the permissible limits of physiological parameters were selected for the field experiment to assess the work related musculoskeletal problems by using two objective assessment scales i.e. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Method (RULA) and Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC).Results revealed that respondents felt musculoskeletal and visual problems like pain in neck, lower back, legs and eyes strain due to inadequate dimensions of workstation, improper placement of computer screen, poor lighting and glare. RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and QEC (Quick Exposure Checklist) showed that postures like forward bending, cervical flexion, bent wrist and unsupported feet were putting them under high risk and for these postures corrective measures are required as soon as possible. A guide was formulated as an ergonomic intervention to reduce the work-related musculoskeletal and visual problems of VDT usersThesisItem Open Access Work environment and physical problems of women workers in hosiery industry(Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 2014) Shilla, Kanchan; Sandhu, PushpinderWork environment and physical problems of women workers in hosiery industry of Ludhiana were studied using survey method on 120 and conducting experiments on 40 such women in 12 hosiery units. Cardiovascular responses, energy costs, physiological cost of work were assessed using scientific instruments and physical discomfort and exertion; using Rated Perceived Exertion Scale and Body Map. Results indicated that mostly respondents earned Rs. 1000-5000/pm, were employed part time, or on contract and mainly did finishing garment. Most women were employed through middleman, stayed in hosiery units for 8 hours and paid on ‘per piece’ basis. Major physical problems faced were eye strain, headache, back ache, cuts and numbness of fingers, cervical spondylitis, frozen shoulders, repetitive strain injuries, inhalation of wool fibres, allergies. Average working hours/day was 7.53, working days/ month 29.10, average area allotted for work 241 sq. ft. They worked in less light (374.02 lx), harsh temperature (16.11°C), 55.80% humidity and high noise (65.29 dB). There was an increase of 12.99% in heart rate of subjects after doing thread cutting, button stitching and hemming for 30 minutes. In diastolic pressure 2.43%, in systolic pressure 3.22%, and in energy expenditure 46.60% increase was recorded. Increase in total cardiac cost of work was 318.92 beats and physiological cost of work 10.63 beats/minute. Mean score of Rated Perceived Exertion was 2.1. So selected activities were rated as ‘medium exertion’. Maximum subjects experienced pain in lower arm and in shoulders, half of them in back and neck, and few complained of sore eyes.