Reach envelopes for Indian tractor operators based on anthropometry with a gender-neutral perspective

Tractors have played a crucial role in India's agricultural mechanisation. The involvement of women workers has increased in various agricultural operations. They are also becoming controllers of various farm machines and are expected to operate various self-propelled farm machines, especially tractors. The operators’ workplace on tractors used on farms need to be ergonomically compatible with the abilities of men and women workers. The present study was intended to develop the hand- and leg-reach envelopes to optimise the location of tractor controls based on anthropometric data of male and female Indian agricultural workers. Based on optimum hand-reach envelopes, gender-neutral tractor workplace accommodating 90% of operators of both genders suggested that the hand controls should not be closer than 317 mm and farther than 430 mm in the horizontal direction from seat index point (SIP). These controls should be placed between 186 mm and 380 mm in the vertical direction above the SIP. In the lateral direction, the controls should be placed within 424 mm on either side of the SIP. Based on leg reach envelopes, the foot pedals should not be located nearer than 410 mm and farther than 452 mm in the horizontal direction from the SIP. These controls also should not be placed nearer than 261 mm and farther than 373 mm downward from the SIP. In the lateral direction, the controls should not be placed nearer than 131 mm and farther than 283 mm on either side of the SIP.