Thai Journal of Ergonomics

Ergonomics and psychosocial problems among sugarcane harvesting laborers: a case study in Khon Kaen Province

2025-08-06T17:35:17+07:00

Ergonomic problems are a major occupational hazard in agricultural work, often resulting from repetitive tasks and the use of unsuitable equipment or tools. Sugarcane harvesting laborers (SHL) play a crucial role in Thailand’s sugar industry, yet remain highly exposed to physical and psychosocial risks due to the manual nature of their work. This study aimed to investigate ergonomic and psychosocial problems among SHL in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. A total of 102 participants were randomly selected and assessed using structured interviews, ergonomic observation with the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and psychosocial evaluation with the Thai version of the Job Content Questionnaire (Thai-JCQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Most participants were female and middle-aged, working long hours daily and cutting approximately 3,000 stalks per day during the harvesting season. MSDs were most frequently reported in the lower back, shoulders, and hands/wrists over the past 7 days, and in the hip/thigh, shoulder, hand/wrist, and lower back over the past 3 months. REBA scores indicated very high ergonomic risk across all harvesting tasks, while psychosocial assessment revealed high job demands, limited job control, and considerable workplace hazards, despite high levels of social support. In conclusion, sugarcane harvesting laborers face substantial ergonomic and psychosocial risks that threaten their health and well-being. These findings provide evidence for targeted ergonomic interventions, organizational changes to improve job control, and policy measures to enhance occupational health and safety standards in the sugarcane industry.

Reducing ergonomic risk factors by workplace improvement based on ILO CHECKPOINTS among laundry workers

2025-10-19T09:28:55+07:00

The International Labour Organization checkpoints guideline constitutes a framework for the study's analysis and improvement of ergonomic risk factors. These guidelines are based on practical terms and low-cost ergonomic improvements. This study aimed to improve workstations in compliance with to lower ergonomic risks. Twenty samples satisfied the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment for sorting workers, the Rapid Entire Body Assessment for workers who wash, spin, dry, iron, and fold products into plastic bags, and the revised NIOSH lifting equation for moving workers were among the data gathering methods used. After the intervention in seven processes, the results were found that the progressing with improvements gradually was advised. Setting priorities for the 11 elements in the ergonomic checkpoints is necessary. The findings demonstrated a significant reduction (p <.05) in the ergonomic risks for workers who perform tasks like washing, spinning, ironing, packing, and transportation. In order to address occupational health and safety, the results highlight the significance of work practices and station improvement.

The influence of game narrative design on player workload and emotional experience

2025-11-09T10:23:47+07:00

Most commercial games rely on speed-based challenges to determine difficulty, yet narrative techniques can also create tension and engagement. This study examined how different design elements in a horror-inspired fire safety simulation game influence players’ perceived workload and emotional response. Sixty-three participants (aged 18–35) played through five counterbalanced conditions and NASA TLX. Results revealed significant differences across all workload dimensions. Time pressure increased temporal demand and frustration, while narrative foreshadowing elevated mental demand, emotional intensity, and perceived success. Jump scares and ambient horror also intensified emotional responses but had less effect on performance. Overall, cognitive and emotional demands rose with task difficulty, whereas performance peaked when challenge and engagement were balanced. Correlation analysis further showed strong links between emotional intensity, mental demand, and frustration, emphasizing the intertwined nature of cognition and emotion during gameplay. The findings highlight that narrative foreshadow can sustain player engagement without excessive stress, suggesting implications for serious game design and educational simulations.

Classification of human error occurrence of rescue workers in a disaster prevention and mitigation agency, Phitsanulok Province, using the SHERPA technique: a case study of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation

2025-12-01T20:48:37+07:00

This study aims to analyze the work process and classify types of human error among emergency responders in the Mueang Phitsanulok District, Phitsanulok Province, whose tasks require rapid response to emergencies and thus carry the risk of operator error. The sample group comprised 21 individuals, utilizing the Systematic Human Error Reduction and Prediction Approach (SHERPA) technique. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. The research findings indicate that in the tasks of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), there is a potential for 107 instances of human error. This includes 95 action errors (88.79%), 10 checking errors (9.35%), and 2 selection errors (1.86%). The results of this study provide detailed knowledge of the rescue operation steps, the types of human error that may occur, and preventive and corrective measures. This information can subsequently be used as a guideline to prevent future human errors in rescue work.

Comparing the effectiveness of photo–video–based and real-situation training in the use of ergonomic risk assessment tools among physical therapy students: a classroom action research

2025-12-01T20:59:41+07:00

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Photo–Video–Based Training and Real-Situation Training in enhancing ergonomic assessment skills among 33 fourth-year physical therapy students at Prince of Songkla University. A classroom action research design was employed, in which all participants completed both training methods with a one-week interval during the 2024 academic year. Knowledge and self-confidence in ergonomic assessment were evaluated before and after each training method, while the accuracy of RULA and REBA scoring was assessed by two experts. The results demonstrated that Real-Situation Training yielded significantly higher accuracy in several key assessment steps of both RULA and REBA compared with Photo–Video–Based Training. Although knowledge scores and self-confidence improved following both training approaches, greater improvements were observed after Real-Situation Training (p value < 0.001). These findings indicate that while photo–video materials are effective for foundational learning, real-situation experiences provide additional benefits by enhancing perceptual accuracy, clinical reasoning, and learner confidence. Integrating both training approaches may therefore optimize ergonomic education and strengthen clinical competence in posture and risk assessment.

Systematic review of machine learning strategies for adapting collaborative robots to human body size variations

2025-11-28T06:06:55+07:00

This systematic review examines the adaptation of collaborative robots (cobots) to enhance human–robot collaboration (HRC) by addressing ergonomic challenges arising from human body size variations. Following PRISMA guidelines, we comprehensively searched peer-reviewed studies from 2021 onward in Scopus and Google Scholar. Methods were synthesized and methodological strengths and weaknesses evaluated. Keyword analysis reveals growing interdisciplinary integration of ergonomics, artificial intelligence, and collaborative robotics. The findings indicate that future research should prioritize the development of real-time adaptive systems capable of continuous posture monitoring, comfort improvement, and enhanced worker safety in dynamic industrial environments.