Physiological workload of farm women while evaluating sickles for paddy harvesting

Abstract

Naveen, Vaibhav and local sickles were evaluated for harvesting paddy crop with 12 farm women (subjects) at CIAE, Bhopal.  The data of improved and local sickles were compared.  As per the anthropometric data of Madhya Pradesh farm workers, the effective handle length excluding ferrule and diameter of sickle's should not be less than 125 and 24 mm, respectively.  Mean heart rate during work in operation of these sickles were 103 beats/min, 107 beats/min and 106 beats/min, respectively.  The workload was under acceptable limit for day-long work with normal rest pause for studied sickles.  The output of Naveen, Vaibhav and local sickles was 47.3, 60.7 and 65.4 m²/h, respectively.  Output with local and Vaibhav sickles was significantly higher than Naveen sickle.  Low output with Naveen sickle might be due to less concavity, i.e. 30 mm.  Thus, improved sickle having similar shape of blade to local having concavity could be manufactured and popularized among farm workers.  The potential demand of improved sickle is more than 2.27 million in the country.