Ergonomics Study on the Handle Orientation of Shovel

The paper intends ergonomic modification of the existing shovel for manual material handling tasks. A preliminary assessment of subjective discomfort and posture was conducted at the brick construction site in Rampur (UP), India. The survey conducted on 16 workers (age: mean = 35.8 years; SD = 3.1 years) revealed a REBA score of 17. With the help of computer-aided ergonomics, four different orientations of the shovel handles, namely H75, H80, H85, and H90 (measured relative to the base of the shovel), were tested. It was revealed that the orientation of the shovel handle had a significant effect on the right shoulder, left wrist, left shoulder, and C0-C1 vertebral joint. Minimum joint torques were obtained for shovel with H80 handle.