Global Journal of Researches in Engineering
Industrial Engineering
Volume 13 Issue 4 Version 1.0 Year 2013
Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal
Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA)
Online ISSN: 2249-4596 Print ISSN:0975-5861
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in
Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
By Qutubuddin S.M., S.S. Hebbal & A.C. S. Kuma
P.D.A. College of Engineering, India
Abstract - Brick industry in India is the second largest brick producer in the world after China. The industry
is one of the largest employment generating industries employing millions of people. The present study
focuses on the brick industries located in North Karnataka, India, where about 1500 brick kilns are
operating employing thousands of workers. The main aim of this study is to investigate the self reported
Workrelated Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD) experienced by the workers during the raw brick
making activities and to analyze the causes of discomfort related to various postures adopted by the
workers. Sixty workers from 6 raw brick making units were randomly selected and a detailed work related
musculoskeletal pain/discomfort were analyzed in different activities using the revised Nordic
Questionnaire. All the selected workers had given their responses, which were analyzed. Majority of the
respondents were feeling pain and discomfort in different body parts. It was also observed that the
workers worked continuously in awkward postures during certain raw brick making activities.
Consequently they may suffer from discomfort in different parts of the body. Postural analysis using RULA
and REBA methods indicate that different parts of the body are vulnerable to injury and musculoskeletal
disorders and require immediate ergonomics intervention.
Keywords : ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, pain, discomfort, posture, brick making.
GJRE-G Classification : FOR Code: 670000
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of :
© 2013. Qutubuddin S.M., S.S. Hebbal & A.C. S. Kuma. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting
all non commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by
Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka,
India
Abstract - Brick industry in India is the second largest brick
producer in the world after China. The industry is one of the
largest employment generating industries employing millions
of people. The present study focuses on the brick industries
located in North Karnataka, India, where about 1500 brick
kilns are operating employing thousands of workers. The main
aim of this study is to investigate the self reported Workrelated Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD) experienced by
the workers during the raw brick making activities and to
analyze the causes of discomfort related to various postures
adopted by the workers. Sixty workers from 6 raw brick making
units were randomly selected and a detailed work related
musculoskeletal pain/discomfort were analyzed in different
activities using the revised Nordic Questionnaire. All the
selected workers had given their responses, which were
analyzed. Majority of the respondents were feeling pain and
discomfort in different body parts. It was also observed that
the workers worked continuously in awkward postures during
certain raw brick making activities. Consequently they may
suffer from discomfort in different parts of the body. Postural
analysis using RULA and REBA methods indicate that different
parts of the body are vulnerable to injury and musculoskeletal
disorders and require immediate ergonomics intervention.
Keywords : ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders,
pain, discomfort, posture, brick making.
I.
Introduction
W
ork-related
Musculoskeletal
Disorders
(WMSDs) have become a major problem in
many industrialized countries including India.
Manual brick manufacturing in India is currently an
extremely hazardous occupation. In the developed
countries some mechanization was introduced but
various studies show that the workers working in the
brick manufacturing units suffer from musculoskeletal
problems (Cook 1996, Chung and Kee, 2000; Trevelyan
and Haslani, 2001).
Notwithstanding the technological advances, a
large number of workers perform heavy manual material
handling (MMH) jobs in developing countries, especially
in the unorganized sectors. Studies from developing
countries like India show that these workers suffer from
assorted health problems due to awkward postures and
carrying heavy loads (Mukhopadhyay, 2008; Sett and
Sahu, 2008).
Authors α σ : Department of Industrial & Production Engineering, P.D.A.
College of Engineering, Gulbarga..
E-mails : syedqutub16@gmail.com , shivahebbal@yahoo.com
Author ρ : JNTU College of Engineering, Hyderabad.
E-mail : acskumar@yahoo.com
ρ
The ergonomics of brick kiln involves the
interaction of personal factors such as fatigue, fitness,
age and experience and circumstantial factors such as
work organization, work schedule, work load, factory
layout, furniture, equipment and psychological support
within the work team, which combine to affect the
efficiency of work and working life. Analysis of the
interaction of these factors influencing physical strain
and cognitive strain is essential to improve the working
conditions.(Manoharan 2012) The postures adopted by
the workers in their working place depends upon the
type of work, the design of the work place, personal
characteristics, the tools required to perform the
particular work and also the duration and frequency of
the work cycle (Bridger, 1995). So, various techniques
have been reported for postural analyses to identify the
stress during different phases of work (Colombini
et al., 1985).
a) The brick manufacturing scenario in India
Brick kiln, being a small scale industry has a
very important role to play in Indian economy. Brick is
one of the most important building material used in
construction in India. The Indian brick industry, the
second largest producer of brick in the world, is next to
that of china. The brick industry in India falls into the
small scale and unorganized sector with more than
100,000 brick kilns spread throughout the country, and
each unit manufactures between 1 lakh to 1 million
bricks every year. (Saidapur, 2012). There are around
1500 brick-kiln units operating in the north Karnataka
State. These brick-kilns represent one of the major
small-scale industries, which fulfill the ever growing
demand of urban expansion.
In unorganized sectors, the workers are
recruited temporarily on a seasonal basis for the entire
season of brick making. The workers have no
experience and they are not provided with any training.
Therefore, they do not have any previous knowledge
about unsafe acts and hazards related to this work,
awkward postures, or they simply ignore the safe
working process. Manual material handling (MMH) is the
cheapest solution in developing countries (Maiti, 2008),
so most of the brick manufacturing units in India perform
the task of MMH.
The workers are recruited by employers on a
seasonal basis, mainly from November to May. These
workers come from nearby villages from the same or
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Year 2013
σ
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Qutubuddin S.M. , S. S. Hebbal & A.C. S. Kumar
Year 2013
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
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sometimes different states of India. No work occurs
during India’s monsoon season (June to September).
They then go back to their villages and engage
themselves in some other work like agriculture or remain
unemployed.
Jobs in brick kilns involve a very wide range of
physical actions from postures and positions that may
not be ideal and could place workers at risk for
accidents and injuries. The common jobs in brick kilns
comprises of pushing, pulling, bending, reaching,
stretching, lifting, lowering, sitting, standing, walking and
carrying, mining/rimming of clay, preparation of clay,
molding of clay, drying of bricks, burning of bricks and
the final product i.e. the brick. This stressful situation
can be made worse by physical discomforts in the
workplace and cause MSD’s. The prolonged stresses
and strains caused during the various activities with
different load conditions is a cause for Work Related
MSD’s.
This exposure involves high physical workload
which is assessed through the analysis of posture,
movement, and cumulative load over time or through
indirect approach of questionnaires or checklists. This
paper focuses on assessment of physical risk factors
among workers engaged in different processes of brick
manufacturing through discomfort/pain that are
experienced during job hours using intervieweradministered structured questionnaire, and postural
analysis using the techniques of RULA and REBA.
II.
Materials and Methods
The study was conducted on 60 workers (30
male and 30 female) selected randomly engaged in 6
different brick fields of North Karnataka. The workers
with at least one year of experience were chosen. The
workers carried out the following activities: (i) digging
and crushing clay, (ii) wetting clay, (iii) mixing clay,
(iv)loading and pushing the trolley or wheelbarrow, (v)
molding raw bricks, (vi) arranging bricks to dry, (vii)
moving the dried bricks to kiln for burning (viii) loading
bricks on to the truck, tractor, and cycle or on others. To
carry out such activities, workers most often have to
adopt awkward postures for a longer period i.e. near
about 11 hours that result in musculoskeletal
pain/discomfort affecting different body parts.
a) Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire
A modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder
Questionnaire was given to the workers. The
questionnaire consisted of a series of objective
questions with yes or no response and some were in
multiple choice questions. To investigate discomfort, it
included detailed questions on work-related pain in
different body parts. Work-related pain/discomfort was
reported in 12 month, one month and prevalence in 7
days. The participants were interviewed about any kind
of discomfort affecting different body parts during every
activity associated with raw brick making task.
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
b) Postural Analysis
Working postures were evaluated directly by
visual observation as well as indirectly by using a still
photography and video of the different activities
performed by the workers. The photographs and video
were later used to identify the different categories of
work postures prone to injury such as bending, twisting,
tilting the head forward. These were later used to
evaluate the risk level by the techniques RULA and
REBA.
c) Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)
RULA is a quick survey method for use in
ergonomic investigations of workplaces where MSD’s
are reported (McAtamney, L. and Corlett 1993). It is a
screening tool that assesses biomechanical and
postural loading on the body. It focuses on the neck,
trunk and upper limbs, and is ideal for sedentary
workers. It is a simple, quick and easy to complete.
RULA scores indicate the level of intervention required to
reduce MSD risks. It compliments other ergonomic
methods. RULA assesses the posture, force and
movement associated with sedentary tasks such tasks
include computer tasks, manufacturing or retail tasks
where the worker is seated or standing without moving
about. This tool requires no special equipment in
providing a quick assessment of postures of the neck,
trunk and upper limbs along with muscle function and
the external loads experienced by the body. A coding
system is used to generate an action list which indicates
the level of intervention required to reduce the risks of
injury due to physical loading on the operator (Table 1).
d) Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)
REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) was
developed by (Hignett, S. and Mc Atamney, 2000), to
provide a quick and easy observational postural
analysis tool for whole activities (static and dynamic)
giving musculoskeletal risk action level. The
development of REBA is aimed to divide the body into
segments to be coded individually with reference to
movement planes. It provides a scoring system for
muscle activity caused by static, dynamic, rapid
changing or unstable postures. It reflects that coupling
is important in handling of the loads but may not always
be via the hands. It also gives an action level with an
indication of urgency. This method was specifically
developed to be useful for assessing MSD risks/working
postures found in healthcare and other service
industries. However, it can be used to assess a variety
of tasks, in any setting, where: the whole body is being
used, the posture is static, dynamic, rapidly changing,
or unstable, or animate or inanimate loads are being
handled either frequently or infrequently. (Table 1)
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
Table 1 : Classification of Risks according to postural score
Action Required
Action level (Risk level)
REBA Score
Corrective Measure
1-2
3-4
5-6
7
Acceptable
Change may be necessary
Change necessary soon
Change immediately
0 (Negligible)
1 (Low)
2 (Medium)
3 (High)
4 (Very High)
1
2-3
4-7
8-10
11-15
None necessary
May be necessary
Necessary
Necessary soon
Necessary NOW
III.
Results and Discussion
a) Work Process in Brick Kilns
The brick kilns located in north Karnataka were
of open type as shown in Appendix A. The workers
usually start work at 6 am in the morning and work till 11
am. They take rest and start work after lunch at 3 pm
and work till 6 pm. The workers take rest in between for
about 10-15 minutes under a shade of tree or a
thatched roof hut. A group of 15-25 workers work in a
brick kiln producing about 100,000 bricks.
There were two main steps observed in brick
making. In the first step a brick is manufactured from
mud with the help of a mould. The bricks are then dried
in sunlight for 2-3 days. In the second stage the dried
bricks are taken to the kiln and stacked on top of it for
further curing and hardening. The bricks are burnt for
about a week and then removed from the kiln and are
ready to use in construction. Manual brick making in this
part of the country is based on demand.
The different activities of workers in a brick kiln
(figure 1) shows that 20% of workers are involved in
loading of mud into a cart, pushing the cart and
unloading the mud at the molding area. Molding activity
involves 18.34% of workers and they work continuously
until a batch of bricks is produced. About 23.3% of
workers carryout the digging and wetting of clay. For
loading and unloading the bricks on to kilns 10% of
workers are involved. In most of the kilns, the workers
work in groups and each group performs certain
activities like a group of workers doing the digging and
wetting clay activity do not mold the bricks.
Activities in brick kiln
percentage of workers
25
20
15
10
5
0
Male
Female
Total
Digging
Wetting
clay
Mixing
clay
Loading &
pushing
cart
Molding
bricks
Arranging
bricks to
dry
Loading
bricks
16.67
10
10
16.67
20
13.34
13.34
10
10
13.34
23.33
16.67
20
6.67
13.34
10
11.67
20
18.34
16.67
10
Figure 1 : Different activities in a brick kiln and the %age of workers doing each activity
b) Physical Characteristics of the Workers
The physical characteristics and experience of
the workers was noted and shown in Table 2. The mean
height of the workers were found to be 158 cms and the
mean age was 26.4 years. The mean Body Mass Index
(BMI), a measure of obesity and defined as weight in
kilograms divided by height in metres squared was
21.92 kg/m2 with a range of 17.2 and 33.6 kg/m2. Using
the criteria for obesity that for non-obese person, the
BMI should lie between 18.5 and 24.9kg/m2, 25 and
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Global Journal of Researches in Engineering ( G
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Rula Score
Year 2013
REBA
RULA
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
29.9 kg/m2 as overweight, 30 and 39.9 kg/m2 as
moderate obese and more than 40kg/m2 as extremely
obese (Singh et.al., 2009),some of the female workers
were found to be underweight while none was obese.
Table 2 : Physical characteristics of the workers
Mean (SD)
Year 2013
Variables
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26.4 (± 9.5 )
Age (yr)
Height (cm)
158.2 (± 11.3)
Weight (kg)
41.9 (± 9.7)
3.7 (± 8.6)
Years of Experience
Duration of work per day (hours) 9.5 (± 1.8)
Body mass index (BMI)
21.92 ( ±3.35)
( Kg/m2)
c) Discomfort and pain
Disorder Questionnaire)
(Nordic
Musculoskeletal
The work related musculoskeletal disorders and
the body pain perceived by the workers was determined
by administering the standard Nordic musculoskeletal
disorder questionnaire. The responses given by the
workers were analyzed. The workers complained about
the activities causing pain and discomfort. It was
reported that 90% of the respondents complained pain
in digging and crushing activities, while 72 % of workers
said that the wetting of clay caused pain. All the workers
who responded suffered from pain and discomfort in
activities like mixing of clay, carrying in a trolley and
pushing the trolley. Nearly 81% of workers felt pain
during the molding of bricks. 28% of respondents
experienced pain while arranging the bricks for drying.
Another 88% of workers reported significant pain and
discomfort while loading the bricks on to truck or tractor.
Table 3 : Discomfort feeling at different body
parts among the workers (n=60)
Different
body
parts
Neck
Shoulder
Elbows
Wrist/hand
Upper back
Lower back
Hips/thighs
Knees
Ankle/feet
No. of affected workers (%)
Male
19 (64)
22 (73)
24 (80)
23 (76)
24 (80)
26 (87)
18 (60)
21 (70)
25 (83.33)
Female
17 (57)
20 (67)
23 (76)
21(70)
22 (74)
23 (76)
20 (67)
20 (67)
26 (86.66)
Total
36 (60)
42 (70)
47 (78.33)
44 (73.33)
46 (76.67)
49 (81.66)
38 (63.33)
41 (68.33)
51 (85)
Table 3 shows the pain and discomfort in
different body parts and the number of workers affected,
both male and female. It can be seen that 81.66%
complain of low back pain and 76.67% complain of
upper back pain. It is clear that brick molders have more
pain in the back because they sit continuously in the
awkward posture to mold the bricks. Almost 73% males
and 67% females feel pain in the shoulders. Regarding
pain and discomfort in the neck 60% reported pain. The
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
workers involved in loading, unloading and carrying
experience pain in the shoulder, neck, hand/wrist and
elbows. Concerning pain in elbows 80% males and 76%
females reported pain. On the other hand 73%
respondents, 76% males and 70% females complained
pain in the hand/wrists whereas 63% respondents
reported pain in hips/thighs. Studies further show that
85% of respondents experienced pain in the ankle/feet,
while 68% reported pain and discomfort in the knees.
d) Measurement of Environmental Parameters
The workers in brick kilns are exposed to heat
and they work in direct sunlight. The temperatures in
north Karnataka are quite high during the summer. The
temperature were measured by using a whirling
Psychrometer to record the Dry and Wet Bulb
Temperature. The measurements were taken every 2
hours and the mean was calculated. The mean Dry Bulb
temperature was 39.80 C (±0.37), and the Wet Bulb
temperature was 29.70 C (±0.67). The Globe
temperature was recorded as 43.90 C ( ±1.39).
e) Postural Analysis
The postural analysis of the workers while
performing different activities in brick making task were
observed and each posture was identified according to
the risk involved. the position of the back, upper limbs,
and lower limbs i.e. arms and legs as well as load or
force used in carrying out the activities were considered
for the analysis of posture. The postures adapted by the
workers in digging clay, crushing clay, wetting clay,
mixing clay, loading wheel barrow, molding raw bricks,
arranging bricks to dry and loading bricks on the truck
were carefully analyzed. It was found that most of the
postures involve bending, twisting, standing or sitting in
squatting position. The postures were analyzed using
the RULA and REBA techniques. In Table 4 the total
postural analysis for the different activities in brick
making is represented. In almost all the activities, RULA
posture scores are 7 indicating a postural change is
needed immediately as the working postures are
vulnerable to risks and warrant ergonomic intervention.
REBA posture codes indicate that the postures for
digging and molding bricks demands immediate
attention with a score of 10 to 13. Other postures are
also at high risk with a score of 9-10 and require
intervention soon.
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
Table 4 : Maximum RULA and REBA scores for different postures
Digging
7
Wetting and
mixing clay
Carrying
mud by
pushing
Molding
bricks
Arranging
bricks for
drying
Loading
and
unloading
IV.
Action
level
RULA
REBA
Score
Risk level
REBA
Maximum discomfort
in body parts
4
10
High
Low back, Upper
back
7
4
9
High
Low back, Shoulders
7
4
9
High
Low back
7
4
10-13
High to
very high
Legs, low back,
6-7
3-4
9-10
High
Low back, neck,
shoulders
6,7
3,4
7,10
Medium,
high
Low back, shoulders,
upper back
Conclusion
Manual brick manufacturing in open type of
kilns in India is currently an hazardous occupation.
There are numerous risks and hazards associated with
working in high ambient temperature, working with
manual load lifting and awkward postures in which the
workers are engaged for long periods. As the workers
continuously work in bent or stressful postures, they
suffer from discomfort and pain in different parts of the
body. The feeling of pain and discomfort is aggravated if
the stressful postures are maintained for a long period.
Postural analysis using RULA and REBA indicated that
most of the postures were vulnerable to work related
musculoskeletal disorders and this demands an
immediate ergonomics intervention.
The relative duration of working in ambient
temperatures exposed to sunlight was critical and it
effects the physiological parameters well above the
normal value. The external heat of the environment
possibly was an important factor adding to the stress
level of the workers. This was further substantiated by a
increase in heat related symptoms and heat stroke.
The workers experienced injuries in different
body parts due to the work process and
management/owners inaction in providing safe work
environment. There were no personal protective devices
to wear, so this was a significant issue in the injuries
sustained. The accidents at brick making sites included
slips or falls, falls from height, cuts and burns.
Surprisingly a few number of snake/scorpion bites were
reported at some of the sites. The workers took shelter
under a tree or a thatched roof hut during the periods of
rest. Drinking water was made available through the
tube wells but most of the sites lack proper sanitation
facilities. In some sites medical facility was provided by
the owners in case of an accident or injury. Most of the
male workers were smokers or had habits of tobacco
Year 2013
RULA
Score
39
eating. At the end of the day a majority of the workers
drink the locally available liquor to get relieved from the
stress. Because of the economic conditions,
unemployment, and illiteracy these workers are
compelled to work under poor working conditions and
follow unsafe practices. Sometimes the workers are
exploited by the owners of the brick kilns due to
unawareness of the legislations or labor laws on the part
of the workers.
V.
Recommendations
The brick kilns need a well designed
comprehensive ergonomics plan and the necessary
resources to support the same in order to improve the
prevention of WRMSD’s, health risks and improve the
working conditions and productivity of the workers.
Some of the improvements may be in the following
directions:
a) Implement a continuous training programme so that
each worker becomes aware of the relevant factors
concerning postures/discomfort.
b) Improve the workplace and equipment by making
minor changes to prevent awkward postures.
c) Considering anthropometry to determine minimum
and maximum height to avoid bending and twisting.
d) Design of trolleys and truck for transportation of
bricks and/or raw materials
e) Better organize the workplace layout to minimize
movements, twisting and asymmetrical lifting or
lowering.
f) Limit the height of brick stacking to avoid
movements above the shoulder height
g) Various guidelines and measures should be
formulated to prevent MSD’s.
h) Illiteracy and unawareness emerged as the major
constraints regarding workers involvement in
different activities and adopting awkward postures.
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
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Posture and
Activities
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
Hence the role of the owners, developmental
organizations,and ergonomists in educating the
workers becomes more prominent.
8.
Acknowlwdgement
9.
VI.
Year 2013
The authors express sincere gratitude to the
owners of brick kilns and the workers for their
cooperation and help during the completion of this
study
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Appendix A : Brick making process
© 2013 Global Journals Inc. (US)
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Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
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Year 2013
Ergonomic Evaluation of Tasks Performed by Workers in Manual Brick Kilns in Karnataka, India
Another layer of
coal is spread on the
6th brick mat.
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The batch of brciks
is arranged as a
heating hub
Brick pyramid is covered on
the sides by faulty bricks or
damaged bricks and sides are
stuffed with coal.