Identification of Ergonomic Risk Factors in Dhokra Bell Metal Handicraft Industry of Chhattisgarh, India

Abstract

This paper presents an ergonomic assessment of risk factors involved with the bell metal handicraft processing industry of Chhattisgarh, India. Bell metal casting is one of the ancient traditional handicrafts practiced in India. In Chhattisgarh, Ghadwas tribe group were involved with this craftwork from ages and used the term “Dhokra”. This craftwork is recognized worldwide for its unique style of metal sculpting and ornamentation process. For centuries this craftwork survived with many challenges, and the rich knowledge of craftsmanship was passed down from one generation to the next. In this survey 120 artisans participated, of which 60 were females and 60 were males. The survey was divided into two phases (1) Identification of the ergonomic risk factors in the existing workplace. (2) Prioritization of the risk factors. In the first phase, modified Nordic questionnaires, RULA, REBA and OWAS techniques were used to identify the problems in the existing workplace. In the second phase, the risk factors were prioritized by comparing data techniques to mitigate high ergonomic risk in the existing workplace with proper action plans. It revealed that artisans faced posture-related Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) during crafting activities. Through analysis and observation of the result it was concluded that artisan’s health mostly affected by improper body posture, workload and unorganized nature of work. The crafting process forced to work in wrong posture, increasing overall discomfort and pain. Moreover, it suggested that ergonomics intervention in tool, work process and workstation design will be helpful to prevent MSDs.