scholarly journals Drudgery reduction in operation of cleaner-cum-grader: An ergonomic intervention 

Author(s):  
R.R. Potdar ◽  
P.S. Tiwari ◽  
Prabhakar Shukla ◽  
Anurag Patel ◽  
Bikram Jyoti

A pedal-operated cleaner-cum-grader having common bicycle chain-sprocket mechanism to get the speeds of 240 and 720 rpm of eccentric shaft and blower shaft, respectively for the desired cleaning/grading of grains was developed earlier by CIAE, Bhopal. Also, in order to utilize the human energy in more efficient way through pedalling mode, CIAE has recently developed a dynapod. The dynapod is a pedal operated rotary device, which can be used as an interface between human worker and any rotary-type machine. The developed dynapod was used to operate the cleaner-cum-grader to assess the drudgery reduction in its operation in comparison to original pedalling mechanism. The dynapod was interfaced with the cleaner-cum-grader by carrying out minor modifications in the original unit. Eight male agricultural workers with mean stature and weight as 168.4 cm and 54.4 kg, respectively participated in the study. The cleaner-cum-grader was used for cleaning and grading of soybean grains. Heart rate of the workers was measured during operation of cleaner-cum-grader using the dynapod as well as the original pedalling mechanism. Mean working heart rate during operation of machine with original pedalling mechanism was 114 beats min-1 as against 108 beats min-1 in case of pedalling with dynapod. The work pulse (ÄHR) with the original pedalling mechanism was 35 beats min-1 as against 29 beats min-1 during pedalling with dynapod. The output capacity of the machine increased from 303 kg h-1 in case of original pedalling mechanism to 345 kg h-1 with dynapod. Considering the cardiac cost as well as output of the machine, the drudgery reduction by using dynapod with cleaner-cum-grader was about 25.4% as compared to the original pedalling mechanism.

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Landau K

Plane deicing is mandatory to insure safe plane take-off. Previous human factors studies have shown that open-basket deicing activity can be improved. The objective of the paper is to compare heart rate assessment models within a field study with numerous influencing variables and small sample size as well as to deepen our understanding of the most demanding openbasket tasks using cardiac output. A field study in a Canadian centered plane deicing facility was conducted in 2016-2017. 12 participants contributed to a thorough description and analysis of open-basket deicing activities. Respiratory and cardiac output of these participants was collected using Hexoskin vests. Working heart rate, heart rate reserves as well as calculations of absolute cardiac cost were done. Working heart rate (WHR), Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) and Absolute Cardiac Cost (ACC) do not behave uniformly for the majority of participants. In field studies with a large number of influencing variables on the heart rate, it is usually not sufficient to consider one single evaluation measure like WHR. In the interest of protecting employees, it seems to make sense to use the more cautious measures HRR or ACC as parameters instead of WHR. Superimposed activities (e.g. forced postures and dynamic use of upper body) have a significant effect on heart rate increases. In 8 out of 11 cases we have fatigue-related increases in heart rate over the observation period. Similar studies need to be conducted in other aircraft deicing facilities.


Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 949-957
Author(s):  
Abdollah Hayati ◽  
Afshin Marzban

BACKGROUND: Despite mechanization development, leafy vegetable cultivation (LVC), as a labor-intensive activity in both developed and developing countries, still suffers from heavy physical activities. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluated the human physiological strains of LVC’s workers to identify relationships among contributing factors affecting human physiological strains. METHODS: Thirty male workers were included in this study. Working heart rate (HR) was measured using a heart rate sensor during various operations. The time taken to treat a known area was measured using a stopwatch to calculate work speed (or field capacity (FC)) for each operation. Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to investigate the relationships among HR, heart rate ratio, FC and mechanization status (MS), and human energy expenditure rate and total energy expenditure per unit area. RESULTS: The highest HR was at seedbed preparing (120.1 beats/min) and lowest at manual harvesting (87.8 beats/min). Manual hoe-used operations (seedbed preparing, manure application and irrigating) were demonstrated as the critical operations concerning physiological strains. The operations performed by machine power corresponded to a high FC. CONCLUSIONS: Variables influencing the area treating speed (i.e. MS and FC) are negatively linked to the human energy consumed per unit area and variable changed in time unit (i.e. HR) was positively linked to the human energy expenditure speed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajib Biswas ◽  
Alok Ghosh Chaudhuri ◽  
Atis Kumar Chattopadhyay ◽  
Amalendu Samanta

Background: The occupational health status scenario in unorganised sector is not impressive. There is a lack of awareness on occupational health and safety issues and manual labour is still obligatory. Ergonomic and work physiological studies conducted among different unorganised sector occupations are scanty. Aims and Objective: The present study intended a physiological evaluation of workload in small scale aluminium casting works. In accordance, cardiac strain of the workers is assessed in actual work situation. Methods: Seventeen regular male workers (mean age 32.6 ± 10.9; range 22 – 55) years, were examined for the magnitude of physiological strain. Different tasks performed were identified including work and rest hours. Working heart rate, net cardiac cost, relative cardiac cost and recovery heart rates were determined. Tasks performed were analysed in terms of heaviness, recommended strain level and thermal stress of the workplace. Results: Work study revealed the predominant static nature of the tasks performed. Overall strain of the job appeared to be moderate in nature with mean working heart rate of 99 ± 5.2 beats/min. Recovery patterns were inadequate for majority of the workers. Thermal stress prevailing was more than the recommended level. Conclusion: The subjects were exposed to cumulative circulatory stress which might have deleterious long term effect particularly on older workers. Interventions are required to ameliorate ergonomic stressors, which indicate further scope of study.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v2i2.6565 International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 2. No 2 (2012) 8-13 


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (01) ◽  
Author(s):  
R R POTDAR ◽  
P S TIWARI ◽  
K N AGRAWAL ◽  
BIKRAM JYOTI ◽  
PRABHAKAR SHUKLA

An ergonomic evaluation cleaner-cum-grader with original cycle mechanism and ICAR-CIAE developed dynapod was conducted. The study was conducted with 15 male subjects aged between 20-40 years, mean stature of 1640 ±40 mm and mean weight of 54 ±5 kg. The maximum aerobic capacities of the subjects were determined using sub-maximal exercise protocol. The mean working heart rate of the subjects in operation of machine with original cycle mechanism was 157 beats min-1 as against 125 beats min-1 with dynapod. The work pulse (ΔHR) of 57 beats min-1 and 31 beats min-1 was observed for pedaling with cycle mechanism and dynapod, respectively. The output capacity of machine increased by 41 kg h-1 with use of dynapod compared to pedaling with cycle mechanism. Using dynapod in operation of cleaner-cum-grader resulted in drudgery reduction by 51.6 % as compared to the original cycle mechanism.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Mette Uldahl ◽  
Janne W. Christensen ◽  
Hilary M. Clayton

Riders need core stability to follow and guide the horse’s movements and avoid giving unintended or conflicting signals. This study evaluated the rider’s performance of exercises on a gymnastic ball with on-horse performance and indicators of stress in the horse. Twenty experienced riders were scored performing three exercises on a gymnastic ball and for quality and harmony when riding based on evaluation of video recordings in which conflict behaviours were evident. The horse’s heart rate and number of conflict behaviors during the riding test and cortisol levels after completion of the test were measured. The rider’s ability to roll the pelvis from side-to-side on a gymnastic ball was highly correlated with ability to circle the pelvis on the ball and with quality and harmony during riding. However, pelvic roll and riding quality and harmony showed a trend toward a negative correlation with balancing skills on the ball. It appears that the ability to actively move the pelvis is more relevant to equestrian performance than static balancing skill. Horses ridden by riders with better pelvic mobility and control showed significantly fewer conflict behaviors. On the contrary, high scores for balancing on the gymnastic ball were negatively correlated with the horses’ working heart rates, suggesting a less energetic performance. Pelvic control and mobility may be predictive for equestrian skills and riding harmony.


2022 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 196-198
Author(s):  
S. P. Tripathi ◽  
G. S. Chundawat ◽  
Shashi Gour ◽  
S. P. S. Somvanshi ◽  
Kinjulck C. Singh

The study was undertaken to assess ergonomically efficiency of hanging type wheat graincleaner, carried out in adopted villages under On Farm Testing (OFT) and Front LineDemonstration (FLD) program conducted by KVK, Mandsaur (M.P.). Total Fifteen farmwomen were selected to assess the physiological workload to compare the impact ofimproved technology over conventional practice for hanging type grain cleaner. Physiologicalparameters i.e. HR, energy expenditure, cardiac cost reduction and physiological costreduction etc., were measured during operations. The results revealed that hanging typegrain cleaner has proved proficient on time and output parameters. The average cardiaccost of work was decreased by 82.29 per cent while using hanging type grain cleaner forwheat. Drudgery reduction was found 83.96 per cent and it saved time by 89.10 per centwhen compared to traditional practice. The physiological cost of work and energyexpenditure in terms of heart rate were observed to be lower while performing activitieswith hanging type grain cleaner as compared to the traditional practice.


1970 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Saha ◽  
A Samanta ◽  
NC Dey

Introduction: Occupational disorders invite absenteeism amongst the miners. Though rapid technological advancement has happened, yet assessment of cardiac workload was largely ignored in underground coal mines in India. Methods: Physiological stress was evaluated in terms of working heart rate, net cardiac cost and relative cardiac cost. Heart rate was measured during their course of work by heart rate monitor at the coal face. Recovery heart rates and environmental heat load were also assessed. Results: Heart rate was found to be 117 and 122 beats/min respectively in first and second spell. NCC (49.7 and 54.8 beats /min) and RCC (47% and 52%) exhibit significant variations between spells, whereas rate of recovery had been very poor amongst the workers who regularly exceeded recommended levels of cardiac strain indices. The nature of work depicted it as a heavy job although recovery trend categorizes it heavier than that. ET and WBGT were above the recommended limits as per the guidelines of WHO and ACGIH. Conclusions: High physiological demand of the job with towering heat stress was found to hinder the recovery process and may cause deleterious impacts on the workers. Ergonomic interventions were highly felt towards job organization and up gradation of environmental conditions. Keywords: Coalmines; dressers; workload DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/joim.v32i2.4938 Journal of Institute of Medicine, August, 2010; 32: 11-17


Author(s):  
Sugiono Sugiono ◽  
Sudjito Suparman ◽  
Teguh Oktiarso ◽  
Willy Satrio

Employee durability is a critical factor to improve a company performance. Company management must control employee health conditions. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effect of office worker’s BMI variation on human energy expenditure behavior including the recovery process. This study started with literature reviews of BMI, human biology, energy expenditure, and physiology ergonomics. The data was collected randomly from 126 nonphysical office workers in productive ages from 20 to 40 years old. The BMI, resting heart rate, activity heart rate, and recovery heart rate of all respondents then recorded. The results shows that the respondents BMI scores are classified into underweight (BMI <18.5) with totaling = 4%, healthy weight (18.5 ≤ BMI ≤ 22.9) = 34.1%, light obesity (23 ≤ BMI ≤ 24.9) = 23%, medium obesity (25 ≤ BMI ≤ 29.9) = 29.4%, and weight obesity (BMI> 30) = 9.5%. The underweight class has the lowest average rest heart rate = 68.6 bpm and the overweight class has the highest average rest heart rate = 84.6 bpm. Consequently, heart rate during activity for each class from underweight to overweight is 88.4 bpm, 90.9 bpm, 93.3 bpm, 95.1 bpm, and 98.6 bpm. With the same order, the heart rate reduction percentage during the recovery phase is 4.6%, 11.0%, 13.1%, 16.0%, and 8.8%. In brief, the BMI variation strongly correlated with Time to Recovery (TTR) of nonphysical office workers.


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