Farmworkers’ perception on risks and interventions of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and heat-related illness

This project is a part of the preliminary phase of the research program aiming to design assistive device to prevent WMSDs and HRI in farmworkers. The intern will gather qualitative data by administering questionnaires and conducting an interview with workers on their perceptions of risks and interventions. Fifty workers over 18 years old, stratified samples of all sex and age groups, will be recruited from local agricultural producers. Participants will be asked to complete a demographic survey and questionnaires for the frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms, the intensity of their perceived discomfort at local body parts and full body exertion, and their previous heat exhaustion and dehydration symptoms. Participants will be also interviewed individually in a one-to-one format on their perception of risk and their ideas for interventions. The aggregated level of the results will be used by stakeholders to find appropriate interventions for WMSDs and HRI, and by the designers of assistive device to consider usability of the technology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ornwipa Thamsuwan

Student:

Partner:

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

École de technologie supérieure

Program: