Postural analysis of welding workers working in different ssi of West Bengal and suggesting for design improvements

Abstract

The efficiency of the workers and quality of job are directly depended on the appropriate work posture, good health and safety of workers in any manufacturing industry. So, the identification and evaluation of potential risks factors should be the main steps to regulate them. “Ergonomics” is the science and practice of designing jobs and workplaces rather than physically forcing the workers’ body to fit the job. Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are common in the workplaces and small scale industries. Due to automation in industry, more and more efforts have been made to achieve efficient as well as human-less manufacturing. But manual work is still significant due to increase of customized products and human’s potential of learning and adapting. Maximum work efficiency with minimum human effort signifies that the workers are in good work postures. Occupational injuries, muscular diseases, imbalance of muscles and tissues can be influenced by body posture. Postural stresses and bodily discomfort in various joints of human body may be increased by poor postural positions of workers. MSD injury and risk in the workplaces may be reduced by systematic observation of posture of workers. The present research work has been planned and designed for the analysis of posture of welders working in different small scale industries in West Bengal. A brief summary of each chapter is provided as below: An over view of working environment, job activities and job conditions in industries, importance of Ergonomics in industries and factors related to MSDs are discussed in chapter 1. Details of different methodologies used in this research work have been discussed in chapter 2. Biomechanical model of welder, anatomy of the human spine have been discussed in chapter 3. Design and development of welding workstation based on postural analysis have been discussed in chapter 4. The various methods have been analysed as well as discussed in chapter 5. Finally a design solution is there in this chapter. Conclusions on the results and discussions of various processes have been included in the chapter 6. Recommendation for the future work is also outlined in this chapter. It is evident that the existing research work on posture analysis of welding workers in different small scale industries will provide useful information and guidance to the researchers about the most stressed muscles and joints during the welding operation.