A work measurement method for application in Indian agriculture

Abstract The usual scales of rating in work measurement practices are based on subjective assessment of effort and walking speed of workers. In the present paper an attempt was made to correlate walking speed and stride length with selected anthropometric and physiological measurements (heart rates), using three groups of farm workers. Linear simple and multiple regressions were obtained to identify the best possible correlation between the above parameters. Accordingly, a rating scale was developed and applied in ploughing, transplanting, reaping and sheafing operation in rice cultivation. The result showed that the preferred speed of walking of the farm workers was 1.39 m/s and step frequency at that speed was 103 steps/min. On application of the suggested scale on the abovee four agricultural operations, it was observed that the majority of the workers' working loads and efforts were more than they should be.