Ergonomic Risk Assessment for Manual Handling Activities in Automotive Workshop

Ergonomic risk assessment tools are tools that have been designed to solve the problem of ergonomics in the workplace from manual material handling activities. The objective of this study is to investigate Musculoskeletal Discomfort among workers related to manual handling activities using Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaires (CMDQ); to assess an ergonomics risk factor among workers related to manual handling activities using Manual Handling Assessment Chart (MAC), NIOSH Lifting Equation(NLE), and Key Indicator Method for Manual Handling Operation (KIM-MHO) method and; to compare the results between CMDQ and assessment tools. This case study was conducted in Parit Raja, Johor, Malaysia involving 34 male mechanics workers. The tools used are as stated in the objective with the help of measurement tools such as a goniometer. The result of the CMDQ reveals that the body part with the highest discomfort level among the workers in the lower back, shoulder right and shoulder left with the percentage from the total discomfort score of 20.91%, 13.57%, and 13.36% respectively. From the result of the assessments, it is concluded that the highest risk factor contributing to the MSDs is the bad posture of the worker during the manual handling operation followed by the frequency of lifting and the weight of the load. By comparing assessment tools, the first comparison is made between the CMDQ versus KIM-MHO, MAC Tools and NLE. In this comparison that, it is highlighted the result type from CMDQ are different from the KIM-MHO, MAC Tools and NLE as its questionnaire result shows us the discomforts levels on the body of workers and the body parts affected on their body for the last seven days but the assessment tools results show us the risk factor that contributes to the MSDs. For the comparison between the three assessment tools, it can be said that the tools that have the highest correlation with CMDQ are MAC Tools. In conclusion, most workers suffer from MSDs in their lower back due to their bad posture during manual handling. KIM-MHO is the best assessment tool among the three as it has the highest significance value while being the easiest tool to be used.