Ergonomic Assessment of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Rural Water Fetchers in India with fetching Intervention

Abstract

Working condition of rural water fetcher and self-reported body segment MSD pain among 155 water fetcher were assessed. Data were obtained using both questionnaires and direct water fetcher posture observations. The discomfort, pain in various symptoms of body was very high among water fetchers. Postures during water fetching activities were evaluated with mean RULA grand score 7 indicating need for intervention. For this purpose, various regression analysis models prepared shows that fetching experience, everyday fetching time, regular fetching beyond stopping, feeling burden of water fetching were positively associated with pain and discomfort in MSD body segment. These discussions help to understand conditions of rural water fetchers and their attention to burden on rural women and ergonomic intervention to reduce water fetcher pain. An implication of reports, water fetching technology developed to improve work conditions of rural water fetchers and, as a result, reduces MSD among rural water fetcher.

Keywords-Musculoskeletal disorder; Pain; water fetching Aid; Rural women;