An Ergonomic Study of Fodder Collecting Activity Performed By Farm Women of Punjab

Women have extensive work load with dual responsibility of Farm and Household Production. Agriculture and allied Industrial sectors employ more than 80% of total female labour. Women work is getting harder and more time consuming due to ecological degradation and changing agricultural technologies and practices. Therefore, in order to reduce the stress of Farm Women, it was found important to equip the women with ergonomically sound drudgery reducing technologies and to empower them with the appropriate skill and knowledge to use these technologies. The fodder collecting activity is the daily performed activity of rural women of Punjab State and it is perceived as highly drudgery prone due to high physiological and muscular stresses. Therefore, a fodder collector was designed for the rural women under all India Co-ordinate Research Project (AICRP). Ergonomic assessment of fodder collection was done by making the women to perform the fodder collection activity with traditional methods i.e. by hands and with improved method (Fodder Collector). Standard ergonomic techniques (Physiological and muscular parameters) were used to measure the ergonomic cost. The physiological parameters like heart rate, energy expenditure, total cardiac cost of work, physiological cost of work were measured. Muscular parameters included grip strength, frequency of postural change, angle of deviation and masculo-skeletal pains were also measured. A sample of thirty rural women of Punjab state in the age group of 21 – 45 years, for performing the fodder collecting activity were taken and health status of these selected women were also assessed. Results showed that the fodder collector was found to be useful for reducing the physiological and muscular stresses of the women workers. Certain modifications, in terms of design and weight, were also suggested by the workers. The incorporation of these suggestions for the manufacturing of modified fodder collector is in progress.