The Smartphone Application of FERA Ergonomics Program for Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Assessment in Para Rubber Tappers

Abstract

The Farmers Ergonomics Risk Assessment (FERA), initially developed as a paper-based tool for assessing ergonomic risk associated with farmers’ working postures, aims in this study to be adapted into an online format. This research seeks to develop an online FERA application specifically for rubber tappers, delivered via the Ergo Work Healthy smartphone app. Farmers can use this application to assess their ergonomic risks by inputting all variables associated with FERA, after which the program automatically calculates, analyzes, and reports ergonomic risk levels. Additionally, the app assesses the severity and frequency of musculoskeletal issues using the Musculoskeletal Severity and Frequency Questionnaire (MSFQ). A study involving 30 rubber tappers who tested the Ergo Work Healthy app on smartphones found the application reliable; comparisons between paper-based and online FERA assessments showed consistent results with an Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) of 1.00, for both researchers’ and farmers’ self-assessments. The FERA results indicated that 60% of the farmers faced high ergonomic risk, while 40% faced very high risk. The most severe discomforts reported were in the knees (23.33%), followed by feet and ankles (20.00%), and the lower back (16.67%). The farmers expressed a high overall satisfaction with the app’s ease of use, functionality, and effectiveness (average score = 4.50, standard deviation = 0.73). The study concluded that the app effectively reports ergonomic risk with reliable data, enabling farmers to self-assess and monitor ergonomic risks associated with their work postures to help prevent musculoskeletal disorders.