Ergonomic Intervention for Drudgery Reduction in Paddy Seed selection—A Post-harvest Activity in Assam

Selection of seed is a woman exclusive post-harvest activity which is performed manually. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common health problems among the farm women. The use of personal protective equipments (PPE) is not common among the farm women for the reduction of occupational health hazards. A paddy stripper was designed for reducing occupational health hazards of farm women in paddy seed selection activity. The paddy stripper is made of indigenously grown Bamboo plant and hence easily affordable. Fifty farm women who are actively involved in paddy selection activity were randomly selected from two selected villages of Jorhat, Assam. Pinch hand position is one of the identified risk factors in seed selection activity. Pinch grip was measured with pinch dynamometer during the operation. There was a decrease of pinch grip strength (30%) during the seed selection activity. The incidences of musculoskeletal problems were observed to be ‘severe’ to ‘moderate’ in seed selection activity in conventional method. A scale developed by Corlett and Bishop (Corlett and Bishop in Ergonomics 19:175–182, 1976 [2]) was used in identifying the zones of discomfort in different body parts with use of paddy stripper. Highest percentage (87%) of farm women experienced ‘no discomfort’ in wrist, upper back, and shoulder in use of improved paddy stripper as compared to conventional method in performance of the activity. The use of paddy stripper reduced occupational health hazards specially cut and wounds and reduced the severity of musculoskeletal problems of farm women in seed selection activity.