Ergonomic risk assessment and work environmental illumination in electronic manufacturing

Abstract

          The electronics manufacturing has a process consisting of work procedure requiring employees to sit or stand for long periods of time, as well as inappropriate illumination environments for working that require visual inspection leading to musculoskeletal disorders. This cross-sectional descriptive study in the one electronic manufacturing in Northern Thailand aimed to assess the ergonomics risks of employees across the organization in a total of 26 working similar exposure groups. Data were obtained using an ergonomic risk assessment form using Rapid Upper Limbs Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) as appropriate for the job. The lighting intensity in working environment was measured for area and spot measurement. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Ergonomics risk assessment by RULA found that 53.66% of those works had moderate risk level that required further investigation and change may be needed for postures with alternating arms or hands twisted and the body forward bending while working. Ergonomics risk assessment by REBA found that 66.67% had a level of high risk (further investigate and require implementation) from a working posture that required standing all the time and a posture that had to raise arms, wrist rotation and exertion force to pull the wire. Ergonomics risk assessment by ROSA found that the office work was acceptable risk. The results of the light intensity measurement found that 90.00% of area measurements did not meet the standard and 27.22% of the spot measurements did not meet the standard that mostly found in the non-machine wire winding process (57.69%). Most workers in this process had predominantly body discomfort on hand and wrist (71.43%), followed by back area (57.14%), respectively. The Subjective Workload Index (SWI) assessment indicated that all workers of non-machine wire winding process had a very high discomfort. The high ergonomics risk and inappropriate lighting affected the physical discomfort and mental workload of employees are interesting to further study onfactors associated with the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the ergonomics designed workstations with proper illumination to prevent MSDs and the work stress of workers.