Ergonomic study of farm women for selected agricultural implements

Agricultural operations mostly done by women agricultural workers. In India 50-60% of women force is engaged in agriculture. Ergonomical parameters like working heart rate, oxygen consumption rate, energy expenditure rate of women workers were evaluated in different selected agriculture operation. The average working heart rate and oxygen consumption rate obtained were evaluated respectively for weeding by Ambika paady weeder and hand weeding, harvesting by serrated sickle and traditional sickle, threshing by paddy thresher and hand beating operation and also for winnowing operation. The mean EER were 9.3kJ/min, 9.9kJ/min, 8.8kJ/min, 9.5kJ/min, 7.5kJ/min, 9.5kJ/min, 8.6 kJ/min, and 9.3kJ/min for the above operations. Out of these operations weeding operation requires more effort and can be categorized as ‘Moderate heavy’ type of operation and threshing by paddy thresher was require less effort and categorized as ‘Light’ type of operation due to pattern of work.