| Sumario: | Manual waste handling, common in many underdeveloped regions, often exposes workers to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) during material tasks. A study involving 92 workers highlighted the risks associated with the waste scraping and picking tasks, focusing on lower back, knee and neck joints. The study aimed to create improved equipment through iterative design. Three-enhanced cleaning equipment versions emerged, hypothesised to boost worker well-being. Comparative ergonomic assessments revealed significant improvements: 67% lower postural scores, up to 58% reduced spinal forces and a 4% drop-in average working heart rate (HR). Pain frequency decreased by 16.67%, severity by 14.29% and productivity doubled, supported by strong Likert chart acceptability. This study underscores ergonomic interventions' potential in reducing risks linked to traditional cleaning practices. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: The study aimed to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) risk for manual waste collectors (MWCs) in India through the design and testing of low-cost ergonomic equipment. Results showed significant improvements in posture, reduced spinal forces, lower heart rates (HRs), increased productivity and reduced pain compared to manual work KEY POINTS: The study focuses on enhancing worker well-being during manual material handling (MMH) tasks in cleaning jobs. It identifies 'scraping' and 'picking' tasks as high-risk activities contributing to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The research successfully designed equipment that significantly reduces postural risk scores and spinal forces. Worker productivity doubled with equipment intervention, and user acceptability was high. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish the long-term effectiveness of the equipment in reducing MSDs.
|
|---|