Waterbag:Technology to Avoid Head Load of Hill Women.

Abstract

Water fetching, fuel wood and fodder collection from far off distance are the three very important task which the hill women has to perform as a part of their livelihood besides bearing the other responsibilities (household & Agriculture). Fetching water is one of the most time devoting & heavy task performed by them throughout the year due to ever shrinking water resources and forest. It leads to great drudgery in terms of time and energy consumed and also the occurrence of occupational health hazards. The present study was designed with the objective to design a device/technology/ tool to reduce the physical & physiological strain while fetching water after collecting anthropometry measurement. Results shows that 20 lit of potable water can be carried in one trip by using water bag as compared to 9-10 lit of water by traditional method. The distance travelled in fetching water was reduced from 3km/day to 1.5km/day by the use of improved technology in terms of the amount of water fetch in one trip. A major decline in physiological parameters & musculoskeletal was also recorded by fetching water using improved method. Total Cardiac Cost of Work was reduced from 794.6 beats to 725.25 beats and Physiological Cost of Work was also found to be reduced from 132.43 beats to 120.87 beats. The respondents got relief from fatigue and pain by introduction of water bag as their perceived rate of exertion was reduced from the score of 4.5 to the score of 2.6.