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Isometric strength of agricultural workers of Meghalaya: A case study of an Indian population

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Title Isometric strength of agricultural workers of Meghalaya: A case study of an Indian population
Not Available
 
Creator K.N. Agrawal
R.K.P. Singh
Satapathy KK
 
Subject anthropometry
 
Description Not Available
A worker has to exert force using both hand and leg to operate farm tools and equipment. Sometimes
torque is also applied, such as when operating steering. The capabilities of the operators have considerable
effects on design features and control of farm machinery. However, very little data are available on
capabilities of different population segments of Indian agricultural workers. Therefore, a study was
carried out to collect these data on male and female agricultural workers of Meghalaya belonging to the
Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribal communities with Mongolian origins. Data were collected on 100 subjects
from different parts of Meghalaya state in the north eastern hill region of India of which 52 were male
subjects and 48 were female subjects. The 5th and 95th percentile values of different strength parameters
were estimated, which needs to be taken in to consideration while designing the various machinery
controls. Mean leg strength (right) and foot strength (right) of female agricultural workers
(334.1 44.1 N and 199.4 29.4 N) was found to be significantly lower (p < 0.01) than their male
counterparts (525.6 40.2 N and 342.9 49.1 N). Similarly, leg and foot strength of female workers in
the preferred leg was found to be 63.6 and 58.1% that of male workers. Steering strength is an important
design criterion on the basis of which the steering systems of tractors and other self propelled devices
are designed, and the mean steering torque was found to be 65.3 8.0 and 49.2 10.7 N m for male and
female agricultural workers, respectively. The steering force capability of female agricultural workers was
observed to be 75.3% that of male agricultural workers.
Relevance to industry: The strength values and design criteria presented in this paper may be used for
setting limits for design of manually operated tools and equipment involving push/pull activities, leg
strength, torque limits in agriculture as well as in other industrial jobs.
AICRP on Ergonomics and Safety in Agriculture
 
Date 2021-07-14T07:15:36Z
2021-07-14T07:15:36Z
2009-08-31
 
Type Journal
 
Identifier Not Available
Not Available
http://krishi.icar.gov.in/jspui/handle/123456789/47859
 
Language English
 
Relation Not Available;
 
Publisher Elsevier Inc