BFF3583_INDUSTRIAL ERGONOMICS

Department of Manufacturing Engineering, FKP University Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya

Tun Abdul Razak, 26300 Kuantan, Pahang.

ASSIGNMENT 1
POOR ERGONOMICS CONDITION

Lecturer

FAZILAH BINTI ABDUL AZIZ

Section

01

Group

01

NAME ID
SITI NUR AFIQAH BINTI ABD HAMED FA15006
AISYA FARINA BINTI AZMAN FA15021
NUR MARYAM `IZZATI BINTI NAZIR FA15022
 Comprehensive Summary

Poor Ergonomic Conditions in Plantation Industry

Poor ergonomic conditions can be described as the disorders of the soft tissues,

particularly of the muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, blood vessels and

spinal discs. Generally, these painful disorders can be found in jobs requiring repetition (non-

strenuous or strenuous), forceful exertion of the human body (hands, kneel), awkward postures,

contact stress from heavy workload (pushing/ pulling/ lifting/ carrying), extreme temperature,

equipment or vibration which may be disabling and develop over a long period of time. One of

the most influenced industry of an ergonomics issues is plantation. Plantation industry can

always be associated with ergonomic injuries due to its intensive manual handling and labor

activities. Below are some of example of the poor ergonomics conditions in Malaysian oil palm

plantation (Mohd Nawi, Deros, Ab Rahman, Sukadarin, & Norani, 2016): -

1. Manual tool with awkward hand and body posture: Harvesters carrying a long and sharp

chisel (low oil palm) or sickle (tall trees) while walking from tree to tree to cut fresh fruit

bunches (FFB). Their jobs required to looked up during harvesting and their knees and body is

bending over while hand holding and pushing long-armed sickle firmly. These could cause the

workers having extreme neck and trunk flexion. The prolonged exertion this job by using

manual tool will increase the risk of workers getting physical injured.

2. High repetitive hand and arm movements: Two workers are responsible to transfer the

fertilizer manually with weight of 50 kg per bag from lorry to fertilizer loader. One of them has

to carry it on the shoulder while another worker will spread it to surrounding areas which have

been set. Moreover, to carry the heavy load on the shoulder, the worker will bend his body to

bear a heavy burden on his shoulders. Thus, it resulted the workers are experiencing pain

regularly due to daily workload.

Reference
Mohd Nawi, N. S., Deros, B., Ab Rahman, M., Sukadarin, E., & Norani, N. (2016). Malaysian

oil palm workers are in pain: Hazards identification and ergonomics related problems

(Vol. 1).

Emory University: Tool Box Talks Environment Health and Safety Office (2017). Retrieved

from http://www.ehso.emory.edu/documents/toolbox-training-ergonomics.pdf