Ergonomic risk assessment of workers and prototype development of a hot work chair

Introduction: Workers employed at a selected company, engaged in hot work activities while seated without proper seating arrangements, experience prolonged static and awkward body postures, resulting in muscle discomfort and pain, particularly in the buttocks, lower back, thighs, and other regions. A substantial number of workers in the hot work section of the company have reported muscle pain complaints, with many currently performing hot work using improper seating tools. Objective: This research aims to address the issue of muscle discomfort caused by improper seating practices during hot work activities to prevent potential long-term effects on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) among the workers. Methodology: The study is conducted in three phases. In the initial phase, ergonomic problems are assessed using body discomfort chart and ergonomic risk assessment tools, including muscle fatigue assessment, rapid entire body assessment (REBA), and quick exposure checklist (QEC). The data collected during this phase are analysed and serve as input for the second phase, which involves developing product design specifications (PDS), design and development of a hot work chair prototype and Initial testing. Subsequently, an experimental study is conducted in the third phase involving 24 hot work workers (12 participants in each control and experimental group). They use their current seating tools and a prototype of the hot work chair during routine tasks for six full working days. Body muscle discomfort is assessed using a 100-millimeter Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) after each session. Results and discussion: There was a high muscle discomfort rating associated with hot works among workers of the selected company. Buttocks, knee, and thigh are the most effected body part with highest discomfort rating level among the hot-work. Initial ERA has shown that hot-work workers are exposed to the identified risk factors including awkward postures, repetitive motions, static and sustained work postures with their current seating tools. Muscle fatigue assessment, REBA and QEC results show the selected workers from hot work section are extremely exposed to high risk and immediate intervention required. A prototype has been successfully designed and developed in this study based on the inputs from end-users, extensive literature, and the PDS. The operations and functions of the prototype have been successfully tested at the selected company and have shown potential to improve the body postures, and work station of the workers in the hot works section. During the evaluation of the prototype, experimental group reports a 49% reduction in discomfort rating after using the hot work chair, with no significant differences observed in the control group during the same duration. Conclusion: The intervention of the hot work chair has effectively reduced muscle discomfort during prolonged hot work activities and has improved body postures. As a result, the hot work chair has the potential to reduce muscle discomfort leading to MSD and other muscle injuries associated with this work task.

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