Ergonomic Assessment of Selected Mops

The present study entitled “Ergonomic assessment of selected mops” was undertaken to study the physiological stress on the body and the work output to find out the one, which causes the minimum of physiological stress on the body and results in higher work output. The present study has been undertaken in two parts viz; the household and market surveys to know the commonly used and commonly sold mops and the second part of the study was experimental in nature to evaluate the selected mops in terms of their physiological and muscular stress and also the work output with the use of these mops. The physiological stress with the use of selected mops was measured in terms of Energy expenditure, effect on the Heart rate. Cardiac cost of work, physiological cost of work, muscular stress and Pulse pressure etc. The work output with the use of selected mops was assessed through visual judgment by a panel of judges on three-point scale. Results of the study showed that energy expenditure and physiological stress were minimum when original smart mop of shoulder height was used in the standing posture as compared to the other selected mops. The work out put although found minimum with the use of this mop but it was termed as best due to more comforts to the body of the user and also because of the no musculo-skeletal problems caused to the users. The coefficient of correlation between the height of the user and her shoulder height was found significant with the length of the mop indicating that with the increase of height of the user or with the increase of shoulder height of the user the height of the mop also increases. Regression equations were worked out by taking the height of the user and the shoulder height of the user (both in standing posture) to calculate the exact length of the mops as per the known height of the user or the shoulder height of the user.