Enhanced Ergonomics Training; A Requisite to Safe Body Postures in Manual Lifting Tasks
This study evaluated working postures adopted by construction workers in Southwestern Nigeria. The objective was to compare risk factors among the group of workers. About 844 working postures were analyzed using Ovako Working Postures Analyzing System (OWAS). Semi-structured interviews were also conducted on different body regions regarding work related pains for 250 healthy Bricklayers (BL) and Bricklayers’ Assistants (BA). More than forty nine percent (49%) of the postures observed were classified as Action Family 3 (AF3) (distinctly harmful) and AF4 (Action Family 4) (extremely harmful). The percentage of harmful postures for BL was higher with fifty one (51%) of the total recorded postures. Less than 10% of the total workers reported to have adopted ergonomics training and found it secured. Meanwhile more than sixty percent (60%) of them complained of pains in their various body regions. The study revealed that majority of the workers had no exposure to ergonomics training hence adopted harmful postures at work. BL are at a higher risk. Advancement in practical ergonomics trainings on safe postures in manual lifting tasks is a necessity.
