Analysis on the Occupational Risk Factors of Manual Tasks in Wood Furniture Manufacturing Associated to Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Hand and Wrists

Authors: Justine Karl D. Ambat, Anthea Marie C. Pido, and Gerry M. Castillo

Abstract: The study was conducted to identify the ergonomic risk factors of manual tasks in wood furniture manufacturing associated to musculoskeletal disorders of woodcarvers. Job related attributes such as working condition, types of activities perform and working postures were tested with the frequency and severity of the symptoms to identify the risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders and other related illness to woodcarving. The participants of the study were one hundred (100) woodcarvers residing at Pakil, Paete, Laguna. Woodcarving process was considered in the study, which involved shaping of wood, lifting, design detailing, wood finishing and even final touches like painting and varnishing. Through industrial engineering tools and techniques, ergonomic risk factors in woodcarving were then identified. Job related attributes and frequency and severity of musculoskeletal disorders symptoms were also obtained. Job Strain Index worksheet was used to evaluate working condition and determine variables that affects musculoskeletal disorder occurrence like intensity of exertion, duration of exertion, efferts per minute, Hand/wrist posture, speed of work, and durations per day. These variables determined the rating value to evaluate if a worker is within safe work or not.

Keywords: MSDs, Ergonomics, Furniture