Promoting safety of underground machinery operators through participatory ergonomics and fuzzy model analysis to foster sustainable mining practices

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 16319 - 16
• Main Authors: Sakinala, Vikram, Paul, P. S., Fissha, Yewuhalashet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 15-07-2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/166; 692/1537; 704/844/685; Adult; Ergonomics; Ergonomics - methods; Fuzzy Logic; Fuzzy logic model; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; India - epidemiology; Literature reviews; Male; Mining; Mining industry; multidisciplinary; Muscular skeletal disorders; Musculoskeletal diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases - epidemiology; Musculoskeletal Diseases - etiology; Musculoskeletal Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Health; Occupational safety; Participatory ergonomics; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sensitivity analysis; Sustainability; Sustainable mining; Work posture assessment; Work process assessment; India; Fuzzy logic model; Participatory ergonomics; Muscular skeletal disorders; Sustainable mining; Work process assessment; Work posture assessment; Work tool assessment
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67375-1

One of the most vital parameters to achieve sustainability in any field is encompassing the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) of the workers. In mining industry where heavy earth moving machineries are largely employed, ergonomic hazards turn out to be significant OHS hazards causing Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in the operators. Nevertheless, the Indian mining industry lacks a comprehensive technique of OHS risk assessment, especially for ergonomic hazards that cause MSDs. This research appraises ergonomic hazards and develops Fuzzy Musculoskeletal-disorders Index (FMI) model to evaluate ergonomic-related MSDs. Work process and work tool ergonomic risk factors were identified through literature review and directives recommended by experts. Work posture was evaluated using RULA. The data-collecting approach was implemented using participatory ergonomic and design science principles. The FMI results show average MSDs score of 3.69, indicating high to extremely high risk. Surface plots show that combined work tool and work process was the most sensitive factors to MSDs risk compared to other two combinations. A two-sample
t
-test validated the FMI. The findings should help safety experts and managers develop effective OHS management plans and programmes for the sustainability of Indian mining industry.