Investigating Workplace Risks & Ergonomic Interventions for Agricultural Harvest Workers: A Case of Agri-flower Strawberry Harvesting Workers of Holeta
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Date
2023-09
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main aim of this research study is to investigate the workplace risks faced by agricultural harvest workers and proposes ergonomic interventions to mitigate these risks and improve worker safety and well-being of Agri-Flower strawberry harvesting workers in Holeta.
A mixed method approach is used to meet the research objective and answer research question. Systematic way of literature review is conducted to approach the study. Comprehensive risk assessment is conducted to evaluate the likelihood and severity of each identified risk. Stata 15 version and excel used for data analysis.
This assessment identified MSDs as a decisive from the whole prioritized and identified risks. Therefore, based on that, the study proposed several ergonomic interventions to address the identified risks and improve worker safety. After a detailed assessment of MSDs related safety issues, training and education programs were suggested.
The finding has a practical implication for the companies of same sector to explore their drawbacks related to ergonomic. Likewise, enhance works satisfaction and increase their competitiveness in the current harvesting place.
So far studies under ergonomic interventions of strawberry harvesters were not comprehensive and practicality of interventions was not verified. Therefore, the originality and uniqueness of this research work lay in its focus on Agri-Flower strawberry harvesting workers in Holeta, as there is limited research conducted on this specific domain.
In conclusion, this research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a detailed investigation of workplace risks and proposing practical ergonomic interventions for Agri-Flower strawberry harvesting workers. The study's findings and proposed interventions improve worker safety, reduce musculoskeletal disorders, and enhance productivity in the agricultural sector.
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Keywords
MSDs, Fatigue, Stooping, Risk Assessment, Workers Safety, Engineering intervention, PPE