Comparison of Ergonomic Risk Analysis Methods for Working Postures of Forest Nursery Workers

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 1, 18 - 24, 29.06.2019

Derya Yaylı Erhan Çalışkan

https://doi.org/10.33904/ejfe.556997

Cited By: 4

Abstract

The
chores of forest nursey workers are comprised of manual labor based on the
physical structure of the worker. Long term working postures repeated
throughout the shift results in strains at various levels in the body of the
worker thereby having adverse impacts on their performances. There are various
methods developed in literature for ergonomic risk assessment. The purpose of
this study was to examine the working postures of nursery workers working at
the Bayburt and Hendek forest nurseries and to analyze problematic working
postures using the ergonomic risk analysis methods of OWAS (Owako Working position Analysis System), REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment), and RULA (Rapid
Upper Limbs Assessment) the reliabilities of which have been proven in literature.
This result reveals that hazardous and very hazardous ratios
in working postures were 4.6%, 8%, 20% in OWAS, REBA, and RULA methods,
respectively. Based on the opinion that the method
yielding greater risks is more sensitive for eliminating the risks in the
shortest amount of time, it can be put forth that the RULA method gave more
sensitive results in comparison with the OWAS and REBA methods. 

Keywords

Forest, Nursery worker, Ergonomic, OWAS, REBA, RULA

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