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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
Women workers are involved in various activities in handloom industries starting from spinning to weaving. While performing these activities they require to maintain some postures for a long period with high postural load due to constraining of work method and working condition and in the long run result in the overusing of muscles, tendons, joints, and nerves. According to the fourth handloom census (2019-20), 91.8 percent of women workers of Assam are involved in weaving and allied activities. This unnatural posture if maintained for a long period, the workers may experience health-related problems, leading to reduce productivity and early retirement. Therefore, to improve their working condition and enhance the performance of work there is a need to assess their working posture involved in various handloom activities. The present study was undertaken to assess the working posture of women workers involved in various handloom activities. Data were collected by interview method, photography, video recording, and observation of work practices. A total of 60 workers were taken for the study from Lakhimpur district of Assam. The postural assessment was done by using ergonomic tools: RULA and Strain Index. Awkward postures were observed in the handloom workers. The mean RULA score was found highest in weaving activity with 6. 41±0.49 followed by warping, spinning. Strain Index was found highest in the right hand and left hand of weaving activity. The high occupational risk was found in the handloom activities. Therefore the application of ergonomics would help in reducing postural exertion.