Investigation of oil palm harvesting tools design and technique on work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper body
The oil palm industry is one of the important sectors in Malaysia. The growth and development of this industry shows that Malaysia is the world second-largest oil palm producers. However, in the fresh fruit bunch (FFB) harvesting process, the harvesters are exposed to many types of work-related mu...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
science direct
2021
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36953/1/Shahrol%20bin%20Mohamaddan.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/36953/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/international-journal-of-industrial-ergonomics/about/aims-and-scope |
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| Summary: | The oil palm industry is one of the important sectors in Malaysia. The growth and development of this industry
shows that Malaysia is the world second-largest oil palm producers. However, in the fresh fruit bunch (FFB)
harvesting process, the harvesters are exposed to many types of work-related musculoskeletal disorders
(WMSDs). The FFB harvesters tend to develop WMSDs especially the shoulders and trunk. Hence, it is important
to identify the exposure levels, awkward postures and the reaction forces of muscle activity based on the posture
and movement of the harvesters when using pole, chisel and loading spike during the harvesting process. The
objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the design of oil palm FFB harvesting tools on WMSDs of
the upper body. Rapid Upper Limb Analysis (RULA) was used to investigate and assess the exposure level on the
harvester body during the harvesting process. The assessment showed that the shoulders and trunk have high
exposure level and undergo awkward posture. Human Musculoskeletal Model Analysis (HMMA) was used to
identify the reaction force exerted on the muscle during the FFB harvesting process. In this study, 4 muscles were
analysed including Triceps, Biceps, Erector Spinae and Psoas Major. The highest reaction force of 16.36 N was
found on the left triceps when handling a loading spike. In conclusion, it is important to address the risks by
reviewing all possible aspects that contribute to the WMSDs and interventions on the tool design, task and
working shifts may be required. |
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