Development of risk assessment tool for foundry workers.

Area of Science:

• Occupational health and safety
• Ergonomics
• Industrial hygiene

Background:

• Manufacturing industries, including foundries, exhibit high rates of occupational ill-health and work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
• Manual labor and ergonomic risk factors contribute significantly to conditions like low-back symptoms among foundry workers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel Physical Effort Index (PEI) for assessing risk factors in the foundry environment.
• To provide a tool for quantifying physical exertion and discomfort experienced by workers.

Main Methods:

• A validated questionnaire specific to the foundry environment was employed.
• Regression analysis was used to correlate the proposed Physical Effort Index with the established Borg's Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale.
• Data were collected through surveys involving sixty-seven foundry workers across various shop floors.

Main Results:

• The study identified 'Job factors' and 'Work environment' as key parameters influencing worker discomfort.
• A significant correlation was established between the proposed Physical Effort Index and Borg's RPE scale.
• Subjective assessments of physical efforts were conducted for sixty-seven workers.

Conclusions:

• The developed Physical Effort Index effectively estimates risk factor levels in foundry settings.
• The index is a valuable tool for supervisors and managers to identify and mitigate workplace risks.
• Implementation of the PEI can lead to reduced work-related disorders and improved productivity.