Asian Journal of Home Science

Sharanbir Kaur Bal ¹, Shivani Sharma ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Family Resource Management, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, IN

Abstract

Cotton is one of the most important fibres as it plays a key role in the economic and social affairs of the world. Despite huge production of cotton in India, cotton picking is still practiced manually in India and is a tedious and highly laborious work. Cotton picking is one of the major labour intensive operations in cotton cultivation involving major share of expenditure. Since the varieties used in our country require picking at several stages feasibility of using mechanical cotton picker is remote, hence, the only option left is selective picking method. An adult person can pick about 25-30 kg seed cotton per day. Punjab state, being third in its contribution of cotton crop to the national pool indicates intensive involvement of rural women in this activity. They work intensively during a particular season (Oct.- Nov.) which ranges from 50-60 days and spend approximately, 8-9 hours per day in cotton picking activity and constitute majority of labour. Further, they perform this activity with drudgery prone methods thus, putting large demands on their time and energy. Therefore, All India Coordinated Research Project on Home Science, FRM Component of PAU, Ludhiana have done the ergonomic assessment of existing cotton picking practices being performed by women workers. The parameters for ergonomic assessment were working heart rate, energy expenditure and drudgery scores on five point scale. The results revealed that as no improved technology and methods were used/available for cotton picking ,this activity was considered as drudgery prone activity by the women workers.

Keywords

Ergonomic Evaluation, Physiological Cost of Work, Energy Expenditure, Drudgery Scores

Full Text

     

Sharanbir Kaur Bal ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Family Resource Management, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), IN

Abstract

Woman has to perform many roles in her life both at home and work place. She has always been a multitasker who is handling several duties of her job, kitchen, family, house, society, personal health, passion and desires. Balancing between so many duties and obligations, a woman faces numerous challenges and problems every day, every time, and may be every minute or second. In carrying out all the responsibilities single handedly women are over strained and get exhausted. There are many reasons and problems that forced women to work. In the modern times the financial demands on the families are increasing day by day. Increased cost of living, expenses on education of children, and cost of housing properties raised are the few reasons that force every family to look for ways and means of increasing the household income. As a result, women in India who were mostly known as homemakers are forced to go for jobs and take up even careers that were considered only suitable for men such as working in odd hours. Keeping in view the double pressure of work on the working women a study was planned to know the socio-economic and psychological problems faced by married working women both at work and home level. The result indicated that women faced many problems due to dual work pressure like stress, fatigue, neglect of children, role conflict and over load of work and difficult colleagues which ultimately effect their health particularly due to the withdrawal of any support system.

Keywords

Socio-Economic, Psychological, Problems.

Full Text

     

Shinam Bhalla ¹, Narinderjit Kaur ¹, Sharanbir Kaur Bal ¹

Affiliations
1 Department of Family Resource Management, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab), IN

Abstract

The present study entitled ergonomic study of visual discomforts due to lighting conditions in rural and urban homes of Ludhiana district was undertaken to study the visual discomforts faced by the respondents in rural and urban homes of Ludhiana district, to assess the impact of inadequate lighting conditions on human health. Study was conducted as household survey in rural and urban homes in Ludhiana district. Results of the study revealed that from both urban and rural area various visual discomforts like declined vision, eye strain, glare in eyes, were observed due to inadequate light. Some subjective scales used also highlighted that respondents felt visual discomforts due to poor lighting. Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) scale was used to analyze symptoms related to visual problems and it was found that in rural area maximum number (88.33%) of the respondents and in urban area around half (53.33%) of the respondents were having mild level of dry eyes disease followed by moderate one fourth (25.00%) in urban area and 11.67 per cent in rural area. Only 16.67 per cent of the respondents in urban area were having high level of dry eye diseases. Whereas, Aramuc Scientific Scale showed that in urban area one third (33.33%) of the respondents and in rural area 20.00 per cent of the respondents were having true dry eyes. Therefore, lighting of the house should be ergonomically designed which can help to reduce the visual problems. These corrective measures can be achieved by proper lighting, right positioning of light fixtures, proper type of light source should be used.

Keywords

Indadequate Lighting, Ergonomics, Visual Discomforts, Glare, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Aramuc Scientific Scale.

Full Text