Relationship of Workplace Ergonomics and Product Quality in Selected

Manufacturing Firms in Cavite

Undergraduate Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of
College of Economics, Management and Development Studies
Cavite State University
Indang, Cavite

In partial fulfillment
Of the requirements for the degree
Bachelor of Science in Business Management

NIEVA ABAINZA
ANGELO IVAN APILADO
ARJAY FERRERA
JAMES ARVIN BANTILO
RUSSELL BALANE
TRIXIE NICOLE DAGUINOTAS
November, 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS
 Page

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………….………..…...…..1

Statement of the Problem .....................................................................……....3

Objectives of the Study ………………………………………………….…….…..4

Hypothesis ......................................................................................................5

Significance of the Study……………………………………………..……….…...6

Scope and Limitation of the Study ……………………………………..…..…….6

Theoretical Frame-work…………………………………………………….…..….7

Conceptual Framework..............................................................................…..9

Definition of Terms ………………………………………………………..…..……10

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………………………………….…...……11

METHODOLOGY ………………………………………………………….........…...……20

Research Design …………….……………………………………………..……..20

Sources of Data …………………………………………………….…………..…20

Participants of the Study …………………………………………………..……..20

Sampling Technique ……...……...…………...............................................….21

Data Gathering Procedure ……...…………...............................................….22

Statistical Treatment of Data ……………………………………...……………..24

REFERENCES.………………………………………………………..........…...………...26

APPENDICES …………………………………………………….……………….……….32
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Relationship of Workplace Ergonomics and Product Quality in Selected

Manufacturing Firms in Cavite

NIEVA ABAINZA
ANGELO IVAN APILADO
ARJAY FERRERA
JAMES ARVIN BANTILO
RUSSELL BALANE
TRIXIE NICOLE DAGUINOTAS

An undergraduate thesis manuscript submitted to the faculty of Department of

Management, College of Economics, Management, and Development Studies, Cavite
State University, Indang, Cavite in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Bachelor of Science in Business Management with Contribution No.___. Prepared under
the supervision of Ms. Maria Cristina L. Desepida

INTRODUCTION

In December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the first

case of an unknown case of pneumonia in Wuhan City, China, and it was temporarily

named "2019-nCov", or the novel coronavirus. According to Carlos (2020), the

Philippines reported the first confirmed case of a novel coronavirus in January 2020. In

response to the first confirmed case, an interagency task force implemented community

quarantine in the Philippines; these guidelines have a significant impact on the

manufacturing industry as they strictly enforce home quarantine. In addition to that, the

movements of all residents have been observed, limited access to essential goods and

services, as well as allowed businesses to operate continuously. According to Mueller

(2020), as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the world, manufacturing companies

are experiencing serious operational challenges. Due to government restrictions or

decreased demand, some enterprises have temporarily halted production, while others

are seeing massive surges in demand for crucial items. Also, one of the most important
 2

aspects of the operations is the safety of employees especially in the midst of a

pandemic that is why some manufacturing companies considered it. According to

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD, 2021) they develop

plans for continuing operations to avoid exposure to risks of Covid-19 among

manufacturing workers, such as distance between workers that have a production

assembly line to perform physical distancing, duration of contact in which continued

contact with potential infected individual increases the risk of Covid-19, and assessing

the control plan which all workers in the facility should know how to contact the identified

coordinator with any COVID-19 concerns. Companies, secure to navigate the transition

from initial crisis response of workplace ergonomics to the next new normal. They focus

on the three areas, protect the workplace, managing risk to business continuity and drive

productivity at a distance (Tarlengco, 2022).

Workplace ergonomics is the science of designing the workplace, keeping in

mind the capabilities and limitations of the worker. Workplace ergonomics include all

forces of actions and other influencing factors such as working tools, general design of

the workplace that are currently and or potentially competing with the employee

activities, performance and productivity (Nesto, 2016). According to Gutnick (2007), good

workplace design can make big differences in staff satisfactions, motivation and

retention. It can also affect the level of knowledge and skills of workers; how innovative

and creative they are and how they respond to business and technological change. Poor

workplace design by contrary is linked to lower business performance and higher level of

stress experienced by the employees.

Product quality plays a significant role in the manufacturing firms that refers to

how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry

standards. According to Washington state department of labor and industries (2002),

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ergonomics improvements to the working environment are primarily used to create a

safer and more healthful working environment, and that company may experience other

benefits including increasing productivity, increase work quality, reduce turnover, reduce

absenteeism and increase moral of doing work. This means that ergonomics removes

barriers to quality, productivity and safe human performance by fitting products, tasks,

and environments to people.

Other articles and studies about workplace ergonomics and product quality of

manufacturing firms are address in locally and internationally. Studies and articles that

are related to this topic are Research Report on the Assessment of Workplace

Ergonomics condition in Service Organization (Nesto, 2016) and managing a

manufacturing plant through the coronavirus crisis (Mueller, 2020). On the one hand,

ergonomics studies the interactions of employees with other system components such as

tools, equipment, and technologies. Ergonomics interventions attempt to improve human

well-being as well as system performance (International Ergonomics Association [IEA],

2020). As shown in these studies, workplace ergonomics have an impact to the product

quality. Hence, the researchers will focus on the relationship of workplace ergonomics

and product quality in manufacturing firms.

Statement of the Problem

The manufacturing firms faced many challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic

spread across the world. Many of the employees are affected by the protocol that relates

to their productivity within the organization. Generally, this study aims to answer what are

the relationship between workplace ergonomics and product quality in selected

manufacturing firms in Cavite.

Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:

 4

1. What is the demographic profile of employees in selected manufacturing firms in terms

of:

a. Age;

b. Sex;

c. Civil status;

d. Location;

2. What is the level of workplace ergonomics among employees in terms of:

a. Safety;

b. Comfort;

3. What is the product quality aspect in manufacturing firms in terms of?

a. Conformance to standards;

4. What is the significant relationship of workplace ergonomics and product quality of

selected manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite?

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to identify the relationship of workplace ergonomics and product

quality in manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite.

Specifically, this study aimed to fulfill the following objective:

1. to determine the demographic profile of employees in selected manufacturing industry

in terms of:

a. Age;

b. Sex;
 5

c. Civil status;

d. Location;

2. to determine the level of workplace ergonomics among employees in terms of:

a. Safety;

b. Comfort;

3. to determine the product quality aspect in manufacturing industry in terms of:

a. Conformance to standards

4. to determine the significant relationship of workplace ergonomics and product quality

of selected manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite?

Hypothesis

Based on the problems presented, the following hypothesis were formulated:

The impact of covid 19 pandemic to the manufacturing industry here in the

selected areas of Cavite. Can be classified in three different areas such as safety,

comfort, and the product quality. On how it can affect the manufacturing of products here

in Cavite, this leads us to study the hypothesis that follows;

Ho1. There is no significant relationship between workplace ergonomics and

product quality of the manufacturing industry in selected areas in Cavite.

Significance of the Study

Businesses were greatly affected by Covid-19 pandemic especially for the

manufacturing firm. Thus, different manufacturing companies implemented additional

guidelines with accordance to government regulations to adapt with this and continue its

production.
 6

This study highlights the workplace ergonomics and product quality in

manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite and the result of this study believed to be

beneficial to the following:

Employees. The information from this study will help them regarding their safety

within the work environment.

Manufacturers. The information from this study will help them improve their

existing workstation and formulate new guidelines for the safety of all.

Future researchers. The concepts that may be acquired from this study would

give other researchers benchmark information about the workplace ergonomics and

product quality in manufacturing firms. The results in this study may also be used as their

reference especially if they are working in a similar field.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The study focused on the workplace ergonomics and product quality of selected

manufacturing firms in Cavite, specifically the cities of Rosario and Dasmariñas.

Wherein, these cities have the greatest number of existing manufacturing companies.

Likewise, other cities in the province of Cavite that have a small number of

existing manufacturing companies were excluded in this study. The respondents were

the employees of the selected manufacturing industry. The study focused on the

relationship of workplace ergonomics and product quality of the manufacturing firms. The

workplace ergonomics considered in this study were safety and comfort. Furthermore,

conformance to standards for product quality. Other type of workplace ergonomics and

product quality were excluded.

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Table 1. Top two cities in Cavite in terms of the number of manufacturing firms

AREA NO. of Manufacturing Firms

Rosario 284
Dasmarinas 111
TOTAL 395

Theoretical Framework

The study uses theory that serves as a foundation for the conduct of the study.

The theory in this study was selected based on the variables that would be studied upon.

Hierarchy of Controls model, developed by National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH, 2015), which is a study that explains effective controls within the

workplace to control the exposure of personnel to possible hazards. This model has five

components:

Elimination. The most effective control, they eliminate hazards at the

development stage and health and safety aspects were greatly considered first.

Substitution. The second control, if a particular dangerous chemical or work

process cannot be completely eliminated, then replaces it with a safer substitute.

Engineering control. The third control, isolating the person from the hazard

through physical or mechanical means.

Administrative control. The fourth control companies limit the duration of

working time of the workers at hazardous places.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The least effective control, it should only

be used if other methods cannot control the hazards sufficiently. PPE can be

uncomfortable, can decrease work performance and can create new health and safety

hazards. For example, ear protectors can prevent hearing warning signals, respirators
 8

can make it harder to breathe, earplugs may cause infection, and leaky gloves can trap

hazardous chemicals against the skin.

Following this hierarchy of controls model normally leads to the implementation of

inherently safer systems, where the risks of illness or injury have been substantially

reduced NIOSH (2015). As we are in the midst of a pandemic, companies, particularly

the manufacturing firms are exposed to hazards. And, this hierarchy of controls is a

fundamental method of protecting the workers from Covid-19 through determining how to

implement effective and feasible solutions.

ELIMINATIONS

SUBSTITUTION

ENGINEERING
CONTROLS

ADMINISTRATIVE
CONTROLS

PPE

Figure 1. Theoretical Framework on Hierarchy of Controls by NIOSH (2015)

 9

Conceptual Framework

The research aims to determine the relationship of workplace ergonomics and

product quality in manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite. Figure 1 shows the

conceptual framework in which the workplace ergonomics and product quality are the

independent variables while the demographic profile is the dependent variable. The

research seeks to identify the demographic profile, workplace ergonomics and product

quality in manufacturing firms in Rosario and Dasmariñas Cavite.

Furthermore, this study intends to know the relationship between the workplace

ergonomics and product quality.

The workplace ergonomics of the manufacturing firm is compromised of safety

and comfort and conformance to standard would be the basis of product quality.

Workplace
Product Quality
Ergonomics
a. Conformance to Standards
a. Safety

b. Comfort

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of the Study

 10

Definition of Terms

The following words are intended to give an understanding of the study. These

are defined in operational bases on how it was used by researchers.

Cavite. This refers to the place included in the study.

Comfort. This refers to the individual’s responses to physical ease and freedom

from pain or constraint.

Conformance to standards. This refers to the value and amount of metric to

develop product and services of manufacturing industry

Employees. This refers to the individuals working within the selected

manufacturing firms in Cavite.

Manufacturing Firms. This refers to the scope and focus of this study.

Personal Protective Equipment. This refers to the barriers between the workers

in manufacturing industry and the possible hazard.

Product Quality. This refers to the outcome of the product in manufacturing firm

during Covid-19 pandemic

Safety. This refers to being safe from danger, harm, or injury during the

production in the company.

Workplace Ergonomics. This refers to the work place and how manufacturing

companies assigned their employees to reduce their exposure to possible risks during

the production.
11
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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents the related literature and studies after the in-depth search

of the researchers from both foreign and local researches and articles. It focuses on the

workplace ergonomics on the product quality in selected manufacturing firms to deepen

the understanding of the researchers. This will focus on discussing COVID-19,

manufacturing firms, demographic profile and workplace ergonomics. Moreover, the

relationship of workplace ergonomics on the product quality in terms of conformance to

standards.

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a global

emergency, with its rapid expansion and high mortality rate having a devastating impact.

The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 was considered to have originally started via a zoonotic

transmission associated with the seafood market in Wuhan, China. Later it was

recognized that human to human transmission played a major role in the subsequent

outbreak (X Wang. et al, 2020). According to Zhu, N. et al. (2020), stated that patients

with COVID-19 can develop pneumonia. In addition to that, patients can also experience

severe symptoms of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multiple organ

failure (Huang, C. et al, 2020).

A survey conducted by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) explored how

COVID-19 is impacting manufacturing businesses in the United Kingdom (UK). Over

80% of respondents anticipated a decline in turnover over the next 2 quarters, with 98%

admitting concern about the negative impact of the pandemic on business operations

(Nicola. et al, 2020). According to Aon (2020), as the virus spreads, its impact grows,

and businesses must respond by considering multiple measures and developing plans to

secure themselves and continue to operate. In accordance with this, some businesses
 12

are particularly prone to the virus due to the nature of work in the industry where they

belong. Manufacturing firms are a part of this, and they are more likely to be affected by

COVID-19 since they rely on a large workforce and direct contact with other employees.

Manufacturing Firms

Manufacturing is a global business that was started during the industrial

revolution in the late 19th century to cater for the large-scale production of products

(Jovane et al., 2008). Since then, the manufacturing business has changed

tremendously through the innovations of technology, processes, materials,

communication and transportation. According to Chryssolouris et al. (2008), the major

challenge of manufacturing is to produce more products with less material, less energy

and less labour involvement. In order to face these challenges, manufacturing

companies must have strategy and competitive priority in order for them to compete in a

dynamic market (Thun, 2008).

According to Skinner (2007), “a manufacturing strategy is a set of manufacturing

policies designed to maximize performance among trade-offs among success criteria to

meet the manufacturing task determined by a corporate strategy”. It is the responsibility

of the top management of the company to ensure that there is a coherent manufacturing

strategy and policies derived from internal and external sources of information to support

the whole company’s mission (Paiva et al., 2008).

According to Miltenburg (2008), a competitive strength of a company is based on

the structural and infrastructural readiness. There are four structural areas that are

comprised of capacity, facilities, technology, and sourcing. The infrastructural areas are

workforce, quality, production planning, and organisation. According to Swinket al.

(2007), the company must have a specific and strategic goal based on the 13 individual

competitive strength, in order to compete in the marketplace.

 13

Furthermore, according to Balakrishnan et al. (2007), the global competitiveness

of economic manufacturing requires high quality products and low prices. This is due to

dynamic competition among the manufacturers to secure their customers (Kost and

Zdanowicz, 2005). As a result, the demand for high quality, low cost and on time delivery

has increased product variety.

Demographic Profile

Demographic profile is the study of a population-based on factors such as age,

race, and sex. Demographic data refers to socioeconomic information expressed

statistically, including employment, education, income, marriage rates, birth and death

rates, and more (Hayes.2021). Governments, corporations, and non-government

organizations use demographics to learn more about a population's characteristics for

many purposes, including policy development and economic market research (Hayes,

2021). According to Mills, (n.d), obtaining demographic information is both important and

advantageous in helping researchers have a better understanding of the population of

interest to their research.

Workplace Ergonomics

Workplace ergonomics is the process of creating or arranging work places,

goods, and systems so that they are comfortable for the people who use them and that

wastes associated with bad layout and physical environment are eliminated. Matching

the requirements of a job with the capabilities of the worker is the approach to be

adopted in order to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal injuries resulting from handling

materials manually. According to HSA (2022), the impact of ergonomics on workplace

design, is to provide maximum productivity with minimal cost; in this context cost is

expressed as the physiological or health cost to the worker. Manufacturing employees

 14

are more susceptible to injury, particularly musculoskeletal problems, due to the

continuous lifting, pushing, tugging, and carrying of heavy items for long periods of time

(Computer Consulting 101, 2021). Moreover, ergonomics enhancements can assist

manufacturers eliminate these risks and create a safer and more congenial workplace.

According to Das (n.d), to design a workstation for manufacturing, it is necessary to

obtain relevant information or data on task performance, equipment, working posture,

and environment. For a new workstation design, it is advantageous to obtain such

information from a similar existing task equipment situation. Several methods such as

direct observation, one-to-one interviews with experienced operators, videotaping, and

questionnaires can be used for this purpose. Before redesigning an existing workstation

in industry, often it is desirable to conduct a worker survey to determine the effect of the

equipment or system design on employee comfort, health, and ease of use of the

equipment.

Safety refers to the limitation of elements that can cause harm, accidents,

and other negative outcomes in the workplace. Employees have a legal right to be safe

at work. An employer must ensure that the workplace is free from as many hazards as

possible. Some hazards cannot be completely eliminated, in which case every

precaution should be taken to reduce the chances of injury. (Team slice, n.d).

Employee safety involves the following:

● Adequate and ongoing safety training

● Machinery that is well maintained and has adequate protective guards

● Being provided with the required safety gear

● Protection from toxic chemicals

Regulatory bodies, businesses, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)

practitioners have addressed the challenges of occupational hazards and proposed

 15

changes in the structure and organization of the work, in which it seeks to understand

what it is about workplace arrangements that make them effective in the present

situation and helpful to employees (David, 2003). Controlling the exposure to

occupational hazards is a responsibility of companies to protect their employees

(Department of Health [DOH], 2020). Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA) mandates that employers first use engineering controls and administrative

controls to remove or reduce hazards in the workplace, then last, the use of PPE

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015).

Under (OSHA regulations, n.d) employees are required to comply with the

standards, rules, and regulations put in place by the employer. Employees are required

to use safety equipment, PPE, and other safety devices made available by the employer

that are necessary for their protection. Urge workers to get involved and speak up about

workplace safety issues. Ask that they tell you what’s working and what isn’t. Emphasize

that, by reporting hazards, employees are making their workplace safer for themselves

and their workmates.

In addition, one of the aspects of safety in workplace ergonomics is the

engineering controls. It focus on the source of the hazard or the pathway of transmission

(de Castro, 2003). It changes the structure of the work area to reduce exposure using

safety barriers or devices (Zapp, Sr., 2020). The four standard routes of exposures to

hazards are ingestion, absorption, inhalation, and injection (Furr, 2015). An engineering

control for limiting exposure to inhalations would be a ventilation system. The definition of

industrial ventilation, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH, 2015), removes or captures airborne admissions. The reasons for

ventilation as an engineering control are to regulate emissions, exposures, and hazards

in the workplace, particularly from the breathing zone of workers (Furr, 2015). As the

world continues to experience Covid-19, installation of physical barriers which is under

 16

engineering control are generally considered one of the most effective measures to

reduce person-to-person transmission of a communicable disease because they do not

rely on worker adherence (Herstein et al., 2021). Harmful physical exposures are due to

occurrence of heavy or repetitive manual handling and non-neutral postures, it is high in

many occupational sectors particularly in manufacturing industry (KTH Royal Institute of

Technology, 2017).The occupational risks specifically for physical ergonomics will lead to

the presence of Work-Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) and few factors that cause

the occurrence of WMSDs are repetitive tasks, awkward postures and strenuous

physical load or force exertion. Furthermore, manufacturing sectors are the major

industrial sector which contributes to the development of the country, the downside of

this is that the workers are exposed to hazards Hamizatun et al. (2019).

Comfort This refers to the individual’s responses to comfortability and protection

from harm in working environment. Many jobs require people to perform the same

movement again and again, day after day. Over the long term, if someone is repeatedly

engaging in movements that are unhealthy and not ergonomic, that can lead to

discomfort, injury, and disability. These are known as repetitive stress or overuse injuries

(Team slice, n.d). Long periods of sitting or standing are common among workers. Pain

and damage result from poor posture caused by an ill-fitting workstation. Poor

workstation ergonomics are frequently linked to chronic neck and shoulder pain.

According to Team slice, (n.d) stated that work spaces or environments are concerned

with how a person sits, stands, or moves at work. Some examples to consider in an

office environment include, the desks arranged to encourage good posture. In today's

market, providing for your staff is critical. If you don't provide a pleasant working

atmosphere for your employees, they will look for another job. Thermal comfort is defined

by international comfort standards as an individual's subjective judgment of personal

 17

pleasure in an environment (Taber, 2019). In new normal era, when environmental

conditions and building regulations allow, it should be considered to use natural

ventilation, such as opening windows if possible and safe to do so, to maximize external

air dilution of internal air. According to Sari and Budiyanti (n.d), stated that ventilation is

an opening in the wall and/ or roof that has purpose as a place for the entry of natural

light and air from outside into the building. With good ventilation, it can have benefit for

health and comfort of workers. The best ventilation opening is in the direction of

the wind. Even though at this time many workspaces use air conditioners which do

not require windows as a means of comfort, but still windows and vents are needed for

healthy air circulation.

Product quality

While the full impact of COVID-19 on global manufacturing is still unknown as the

virus spreads, buyers' expectations of product availability in the market may be more

flexible. Consumers, on the other hand, are unlikely to lower their expectations for the

quality of the things they buy (Knack, 2020). Some manufacturers started the process of

quickly restructuring their businesses so that they could create vital and/or high-demand

products. Breweries and distilleries, for example, have shifted their focus from making

beer, wine, or liquor to meeting the extraordinary demand for hand sanitizers (Abel,

2020). Production, demand, and revenue have all decreased for manufacturers, from

mining to mechanical engineering. Many businesses are battling to keep their cash flow

and pay off their debts. Some manufacturers are unable to outsource production

remotely, causing supply chain disruption (Aqmauditing2014, 2020).

Conformance to standards is a process to achieve reduced cost, higher

productivity and higher reputation in the global market. According to Amoako-Gyampah

 18

and Acquaah (2008), quality strategy plays an important role in capturing customer

satisfaction that can potentially lead to increased sales growth and market share. They

also added that, a company which develops a strategy to achieve volume and mix

flexibility while keeping low costs and high quality will be able to react faster to market

demands and finally achieve higher performance. A recent study by Karim et al. (2008),

revealed that product quality and reliability has become the main competitive factor in the

global trend. According to Stewart (2010), too much growth in demand also takes focus

away from quality with results of defects in finished products, such as the case for

Toyota Motor with resulting tremendous costs (financial and reputation) for the company.

Synthesis

The cited studies and researches are related to the current study of the

researchers to clarify the variables and indicators that would help in understanding the

research concerns. As to the searched literature, workplace ergonomics considered as

the process of creating or arranging work places, goods, and systems so that they are

comfortable for the people who use them and that wastes associated with bad layout and

physical environment are eliminated. Workplace ergonomics often uses demographic

profile to learn more about a population's characteristics for many purposes, including

policy development and economic market research. In addition to this, the demographic

profile holds the population-based on factors such as age, race, and sex and

demographic data refers to socioeconomic information expressed statistically, including

employment, education, et. al. Gathered Literature also indicates that it is the

responsibility of the top management of the company to ensure that there is a coherent

manufacturing strategy and policies derived from internal and external sources of

information to support the whole company’s mission and the impact of ergonomics on

workplace design, is to provide maximum productivity with minimal cost.

 19

On the other hand, employees have a legal right to be safe at work. An employer

must ensure that the workplace is free from as many hazards as possible. Some hazards

cannot be completely eliminated, in which case every precaution should be taken to

reduce the chances of injury. Moreover, work spaces or environments are concerned

with how a person sits, stands, or moves at work. Some examples to consider in an

office environment include, the desks arranged to encourage good posture. In today's

market, providing for your staff is critical. If you don't provide a pleasant working

atmosphere for your employees, they will look for another job. Thermal comfort is

defined by international comfort standards as an individual's subjective judgment of

personal pleasure in an environment. Lastly, while the full impact of COVID-19 on global

manufacturing is still unknown as the virus spreads, buyers' expectations of product

availability in the market may be more flexible. Some manufacturers started the process

of quickly restructuring their businesses so that they could create vital and/or high-

demand products.

It is also stated that the design workstation for manufacturing, is necessary to

obtain relevant information or data on task performance, equipment, working posture,

and environment. As for the new workstation design, it is advantageous to obtain such

information from a similar existing task equipment situation. Furthermore, the

conformance to standards is a quality strategy plays an important role in capturing

customer satisfaction that can potentially lead to increased sales growth and market

share. And they also added that, a company which develops a strategy to achieve

volume and mix flexibility while keeping low costs and high quality will be able to react

faster to market demands and finally achieve higher performance.

20
 20

METHODOLOGY

This section contains the methods and procedures in the study that the

researchers will use. The discussion includes research design, sources of data,

participants of the study, sampling technique, data gathering procedure, and statistical

treatment of data. In this study, the methodology will be used to determine the

relationship between workplace ergonomics and product quality in selected

manufacturing firms in Cavite.

Research Design
The researchers will utilize descriptive and correlational method as research

design to find relevant and sufficient information regarding the relationship of workplace

ergonomics and product quality in manufacturing firms in selected areas in Cavite. The

descriptive research will use to describe the demographic profile, workplace ergonomics

and product quality. The correlational research will know and explain the relationship of

workplace ergonomics and product quality.

Sources of Data

The researchers will use primary and secondary data for this study. The primary

data will be collected from the survey questionnaires distributed by the researchers in

selected manufacturing industry in Cavite. The secondary data and information from

online resources like journals, articles, e-books, PDFs, and thesis related to the

relationship of workplace ergonomics and product quality in manufacturing firms in

selected areas in Cavite participants of the study.

Participants of the Study

 21

The respondents of the study are the employees of selected manufacturing firms

in Cavite, as they are the ones who can answer the questions provided by the

researchers to answer the study’s statement of the problem. Their approval and consent

are secured and granted before the actual gathering of data. The researchers use

Cochran’s formula in determining the sample size which resulted in 385 respondents.

The total population (N) of manufacturing firms is 395 and the margin of error (e) is 5%

with a 95% confidence level. Using Cochran’s Formula, the researcher got 385

respondents for the sample size of the study. The formula is shown below;

( Z 2 ) pq
Formula: n=
e2
Computation: n=¿ ¿
[3.8416∗.5 ( 0.5 ) ]
n=
.0025
[3.8416∗.25]
n=
.0025
[0.9604]
n=
.0025
n=385 Workers

Therefore, 385 workers are the total random sample in the target population that
will be enough to give the needed confidence level.

Sampling Technique

Probability sampling specifically stratified random sampling will be used in this

research to determine the number of respondents for the selected areas of Cavite, this is

through dividing the total number of populations into a proportionate number of

respondents. The sample of 198 respondents for this study will be drawn from

manufacturing industry in Rosario, and Dasmariñas Cavite.

 22

Table 2. Distribution of respondents by selected area in Cavite.

AREA FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Rosario 284 71.90
Dasmarinas 111 28.10
TOTAL 395 100

Data Gathering Procedure

Before the actual gathering of data, a letter of request addressed to the

employees of selected manufacturing industry in Cavite will be secured to ask for

permission for the conduct of this research, the information obtained will only be used for

research purposes and will be kept strictly confidential. Upon their approval, the

questionnaires will be distributed to the respondents. The respondents will be told a brief

introduction to explain the study's objectives and the questionnaire's content as well as

the possible benefits and consequences of participating in the study. Moreover, the

respondents will also be given enough time to accomplish the survey questionnaires and

will have the right to ask questions, and to refuse or to stop participating in the study at

any time. After retrieving the questionnaires, the raw data will be arranged and then

encoded in prepared database ready for analysis. The analysis and interpretation of data

will be done through the aid of an appropriate statistical tool.

Due to the pandemic, the survey questionnaires will be distributed online using

Google Forms and social media platforms. The questionnaire consists of three parts; first

is a self-made question by the researchers that contains the demographic profile of

employees such as their (a) age (b) sex and (d) civil status. Furthermore, the second part
 23

contains the workplace ergonomics such in which the questions are based to the

guidelines of DOH, and the last part is the product quality, the questions are based on

the evaluation templates for employees. These parts are comprised of 18 questions per

variable and 10 questions for safety measurement, 4 questions for level of comfort and 3

questions for the conformance to standards based on product quality which is in a form

of a four-point Likert scale will be used to measure the effects of workplace ergonomics

in product quality of employees in selected manufacturing firms in Cavite. The data will

be analyzed and interpreted based on the following scale shown in Tables 3 and 4.

Table 3. Level of the workplace ergonomics among employees in selected

manufacturing firms in Cavite.

MEAN RANGE INTERPRETATION QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION

3.25 – 4.00 Extremely Practiced It was shown that the Workplace

Ergonomics in the firm was
extremely practiced the safety
and comfort of their workplace
and employees at all times and
had a strong effect on the
business.

2.50 – 3.24 Moderately Practiced It was shown that the Workplace

Ergonomics in the firm was
moderately practiced the safety
and comfort of their workplace
and employees at all times and
had a strong effect on the
business.

1.75 – 2.49 Slightly Practiced It was shown that the Workplace

Ergonomics in the firm was
slightly practiced the safety and
comfort of their workplace and
employees at all times and had a
strong effect on the business.

1.00 – 1.74 Not Practiced It was shown that the Workplace

Ergonomics in the firm did not
practice the safety and comfort
of their workplace and
employees at all times and had a
strong effect on the business.
 24

Table 3 shows how the workplace ergonomics among employees will be

measured. Using the four-point Likert scale ranging from one not being implemented to

four being strongly implemented. The data will be based on the perceptions of the

participants on how this indicator is being implemented in the chosen firms.

Table 4. Parameters on the level of product quality of the selected manufacturing firms in
Cavite.

MEAN RANGE INTERPRETATION QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION

3.25 – 4.00 Extremely Practiced It was shown that the product

quality of the manufacturing firms
is extremely meet the practiced
of its quality standards and
customer satisfaction.

2.50 – 3.24 Moderately Practiced It was shown that the product

quality of the manufacturing firms
is moderately meet the practiced
of its quality standards and
customer satisfaction

1.75 – 2.49 Slightly Practiced It was shown that the product

quality of the manufacturing firms
is slightly meet the practiced of
its quality standards and
customer satisfaction

1.00 – 1.74 Not Practiced It was shown that the product

quality of the manufacturing firms
is did not meet the practiced of
its quality standards and
customer satisfaction

Table 4 shows how the productivity will be measured. Using the four-point Likert

scale ranging from one not being implemented to four being strongly implemented. The

data will be based on the perceptions of the participants on how this indicator is being

implemented in the chosen firms.

 25

Statistical Treatment of Data

Descriptive Statistics and Correlational Research. The researchers will use

descriptive statistics such as the frequency count, percentage, mean, standard deviation,

and range in order to analyze and interpret the data such as to describe demographic

profile, age, sex, civil status, location, number of employees, type of business, and years

in operation. In addition, it will describe the retail stores protocols and safety.

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient. The treatment will be used to measure the

strength of the relationship between two continuous variables to determine the

association of workplace ergonomics and product quality with each other. Hence, it will

determine if there is a significant relationship between workplace ergonomics and

product quality.

Where:

N = the number of pairs of scores

Σxy = the sum of the products of paired scores

Σx = the sum of x scores

Σy = the sum of y scores

Σx2 = the sum of squared x scores

Σy2 = the sum of squared y scores

26
 26

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32
APPENDICES
Appendix 1. Sample of a survey questionnaire

Republic of the Philippines

CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY
Don Severino De Las Alas Campus
Indang, Cavite

Relationship of Workplace Ergonomics and Product Quality in Manufacturing

Firms in Selected Areas in Cavite

RESPONDENTS CONSENT FORM

__ I have read and fully understand the content and purpose of this study.
__ I understand that my participation is voluntary, that I am free to withdraw at any time,
without my rights being affected, and that I agree to participate in the above study.
__ I agreed to participate in this study.

The following questions are information about the respondents who are willing to
participate in the fulfillment of the study. Rest assured that all the following information
provided shall be handled with the utmost confidentiality.

I. Demographic Profile

Direction: Kindly fill out your answers to the following questions in the space provided.

Name (Optional): __________________________________________

Age: _________________

Sex: _________________

Civil status: _________________

Location:
Which city do you currently reside? ______________________________

Which city in Cavite do you work? ______________________________

Is your residence far from your work? (Yes or No) ___________________

Does your company provide shuttle service? (Yes or No) ____________

II. Workplace Ergonomics

Direction: Please read each statement carefully and use the Likert Scale within the items.
Mark a check (√) that corresponds to your answer.

4 - Extremely practiced
3 - Moderately practiced
2 - Slightly practiced
1 - Not practiced

A. Safety 4 3 2 1
Provide equipment that helps to reduce the weight of load?
Redesign tools to enable neutral postures?
Installation of physical barriers within the workstation?
Ensure adequate air exchange in enclosed areas?
Workstation have signages to communicate:
 Physical distancing of at least one meter distance?
 Proper use of facemask and face shield?
 Queuing entry and exit points and practice unidirectional
movement?
Installation of sanitation facilities and provision of materials such as the
following:
 Adequate and safe water supply?
 Hand washing station?
 Hands-free trash receptacles and other similar hands-free
equipment?
B. Comfort
Your company provide PPEs?
Strict with regards to the use of PPEs?
Wearing of PPEs at work?
Difficulty in moving because of PPEs?
Your company provide proper disposal of PPEs?

III. Product Quality

Direction: Please read each statement carefully and use the Likert Scale within the items.
Mark a check (√) that corresponds to your answer.

4 - Extremely effective/experienced
3 - Moderately effective/experienced
2 - Slightly effective/experienced
1- Not effective/experienced

A. Conformance to standards: 4 3 2 1

Does wearing PPE affect the quality of your work?

Does having safety equipment can improve the quality of your product?

Does having the right temperature in your work area affects the quality of
the product?

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!