Ergonomic Risk in Freshwater Fish Processing Workers: A Case Study of Freshwater Fishing Community, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

This study is a survey research aimed at assessing ergonomic risks associated with the working postures of freshwater fish processing workers, in order to identify the specific postural risks within this group. The objective is to develop appropriate health and safety guidelines for workers. The sample group consisted of 58 workers from freshwater fishing communities in Ubon Ratchathani Province, with two participants selected from each of 29 households that voluntarily agreed to participate in the study. Ergonomic risk assessment was conducted using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) technique. which a method used to assess the risk associated with working postures of the upper body. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study also proposed recommendations for improving health and safety measures to reduce ergonomic risks related to working posture.

The results showed that the majority of ergonomic risks were found during the fish sorting, drying, and packaging processes, with RULA scores of 3, indicating that further investigation and ongoing monitoring are needed, and that task redesign may be necessary. The highest ergonomic risk was found during the fish washing and gutting process, with a RULA score of 5, indicating that the task is problematic and requires urgent improvement to reduce ergonomic risks. As workers tend to perform repetitive tasks in static postures for extended periods, it is recommended to provide regular rest breaks to prevent musculoskeletal disorders or symptoms associated with ergonomic risks. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the mean RULA scores across different work stages—including washing and butchering, sorting, drying, and packaging—using One-Way ANOVA revealed a p-value < 0.001. This indicates that different work stages possess significantly different levels of ergonomic risk at a statistical level.