**4. Ergonomic evaluation of agriculture farm and allied activities**

Relationship between Anthropometric measurements of women and work efficiency in an Indian context, ergonomic point of view, average age was found 33.39 ± 7.57 years, height 154.94 ± 3.61 cm and weight 51.33 ± 4.06 kg respectively. The mean Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated using standard formula Weight in kilograms/ (Height in meters)2 it was 21.39 ± 1.42 which meant that they were in the normal category during groundnut shelling for energy expenditure during the shelling by decorticator calculated 9.31 kJ/min in traditional practices, while by improved practice it was 18.94 kJ/min [18]. Anthropometric parameters studied by [19] female workers of different ages to assess the work methods and postural demands during work performance to enhance the operability, safety, convenience and comfort while performing domestic and occupational tasks [20]. The study showed that Vo2 max of the chosen women folk range from 16.1 to 64.8 ml/min with a mean value of 39.89 ml/min. and half of the respondents (50%) had very good physical fitness in the range of 41–45 ml/min. According to [21], the range of average heart rate lies between 153 and 180 beats/min. Nevertheless, the amount considered as a fair amount of work when considering a large sample of cardiac responses was below 130beats/min. The rates however ranged at 153.3/min for water-lifting and 140.3/min for pedal-threshing. Relatively, the increase in uptake of oxygen to workload ranged at 5–7% per 10 beats/min increase, with oxygen-pulse ratio being at various levels 43:120, 55:130, 61:140, and 74:150 [21]. The authors go on to say that stationing the oxygen intake, 120–132 beats/min can be achieved which signifies an average workload. Overall, energy expended throughout the day amongst people working in agriculture ranged (in MJ) between 10.3 to 11.7, of this number, 5.6 to 6.6 MJ (or between 53 and 56%) was used in a work day. The time-weighted average of the entire day comes to 7.2–8.1 kg/min. This implies that the comparatively, the load amounted only to around 20.22% of maximum oxygen uptake. However, if only the energy spent in a working day is considered, the time-weighted average was between 10.9–14.6 kg/min or 30–40% of maximum oxygen uptake.

#### **4.1 Physiological parameters and energy expenditure**

Generally, pulse is employed as an ergonomic measure to gauge the physiological or functional demands of labor on the individual workers [22]. The physiological point of view, the work demand or workload refers to the stress placed on the cardio-respiratory system and is decided by the energy cost and cardiac cost of work [23]. [18] reported physiological cost of work and energy expenditure in terms of heart rate were observed to be lower while performing selected activities with groundnut decorticator when compared to the traditional practice. The average cardiac cost of labor was decreased by 83.00 per cent with the utilization of groundnut decorticator. The work output was also found higher with the improved technology [24]. The study revealed that physiological stress output recorded by improved serrated sickle was average of 51.03 m<sup>2</sup> /h as compared to local serrated

**57**

and unhealthy.

**4.3 Physiological and psycho-physiological stress**

*A Review of Ergonomic Evaluation of Occupational Hazard of Indian Agriculture Farm…*

the average ∆HR was 33.93 beats/min and energy expenditure was 12.33 kJ/s while by improved serrated sickle, it was recorded as 17.46 beats/min and 8.40 kJ/s. The

beats/m2 by improved serrated sickle. Therefore, the serrated sickle costs 35% less worker/unit of output and is 36.63% more efficient [25]. The study revealed that weeding through twin wheel hoe has proved efficient on time and output as compared with traditional Khurpi. The percentage change in average working heart rate was increased 18.88% with the use of twin wheel hoe. The output capacity was

with Khurpi; improved technologies have significantly higher work output than the traditional technology. It means that work output was near about thrice, as compared to traditional implement so working by twin wheel hoe is recommended. While performing weeding activity, average ∆HR was 10.00 beats/ min. While use of twin wheel hoe it was recorded as 27.00 beats/ min. The cardiac cost of worker

while uses of twin wheel hoe it was 7.00 beats/ m<sup>2</sup>

accountable for energy expenditure during weeding in soybean crop and calculated energy expenditure was 7.27 kJ/min. Traditional practices, while by twin wheel hoe,

Drudgery is usually conceived as physical and psychological strain, fatigue and monotony, hardship, experienced by humans. Drudgery of farm women is a crucial aspect that has attracted wide attention of researchers. If measured by the extensiveness and intensiveness of their involvement, farm women shoulder much more burden than man [26] does. Many of such activities are drudgery susceptible to varying degree. Even women suffer from different health problems, which adversely affect their working efficiency and family welfare. Women have shorter time to rest than men and environmental degradation is increasing women's workload [27]. [28] also reported from Madhya Pradesh, India, participation of women in agriculture, India and developing countries are engaged in most of the farming and home related activities besides their exclusive involvement in domestic chores, women do the extremely tedious, time and labour intensive works. Generally, Indian women feel more work for a long time without rest and perform many roles in society and family. This drudgery or fatigue results in feeling tired, sleepiness, physical or mental stress, exhaustion and pain in body parts. So it are often said that each one the farm women suffer from the drudgery while performing various activities. [29] reported that women working in agriculture usually have to make do with archaic tools or a lack of proper tools at all which can also be unsafe, hazardous

While the mean average of heart rate when resting stationary remained at around 77–81 bpm, while working in the kitchen it ranged around 84–110 bpm while sitting down and 101–130 bpm while working standing up. In the kitchen, grinding turned out to be the most fatiguing work while vegetable-cutting was the friendliest for bpm [19]. Physiological stress on women while harvesting wheat activity averaged their heart rate to be around 121.5 b/min., which increased further up to 126.7 b/min. by the evening. Energy spent was also found to be 15.5 kJ/min, which further increased up to 12.3 kJ/min during evening hours [30]. It can be safely concluded that factors like bad state of workplace and lacking access to better

it was recorded as 11.38 kJ/min and increases efficiency 247.45%.

/h area was harvested. During harvesting with local sickle,

/ hr) as compared to only (70.84 m2

local sickle while 20.51

/hr)

. It is an

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98705*

higher using twin wheel hoe (241.67 m2

**4.2 Drudgery among rural women**

average cardiac cost of work (CCW) was 55.41 beats/m<sup>2</sup>

sickle by which 37.52 m2

was 8.00 beats/ m<sup>2</sup>

#### *A Review of Ergonomic Evaluation of Occupational Hazard of Indian Agriculture Farm… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98705*

sickle by which 37.52 m2 /h area was harvested. During harvesting with local sickle, the average ∆HR was 33.93 beats/min and energy expenditure was 12.33 kJ/s while by improved serrated sickle, it was recorded as 17.46 beats/min and 8.40 kJ/s. The average cardiac cost of work (CCW) was 55.41 beats/m<sup>2</sup> local sickle while 20.51 beats/m2 by improved serrated sickle. Therefore, the serrated sickle costs 35% less worker/unit of output and is 36.63% more efficient [25]. The study revealed that weeding through twin wheel hoe has proved efficient on time and output as compared with traditional Khurpi. The percentage change in average working heart rate was increased 18.88% with the use of twin wheel hoe. The output capacity was higher using twin wheel hoe (241.67 m2 / hr) as compared to only (70.84 m2 /hr) with Khurpi; improved technologies have significantly higher work output than the traditional technology. It means that work output was near about thrice, as compared to traditional implement so working by twin wheel hoe is recommended. While performing weeding activity, average ∆HR was 10.00 beats/ min. While use of twin wheel hoe it was recorded as 27.00 beats/ min. The cardiac cost of worker was 8.00 beats/ m<sup>2</sup> while uses of twin wheel hoe it was 7.00 beats/ m<sup>2</sup> . It is an accountable for energy expenditure during weeding in soybean crop and calculated energy expenditure was 7.27 kJ/min. Traditional practices, while by twin wheel hoe, it was recorded as 11.38 kJ/min and increases efficiency 247.45%.
