by Mariel Lim

For the past several years, agriculture has been generally regarded as one of the most hazardous industries worldwide. However, due to inadequate equipment and knowledge, official data of work on ergonomic risk factor in agriculture sector are miscalculated and imprecise. The main question that still lingers: What does ergonomics exactly mean? 

Many people are actually wondering what the word ergonomics means and what it actually implies. So here is the answer. According to Human Factors and Ergonomic Society, ergonomics is a multidisciplinary science that endeavors to make a better fitting between the job and the worker to make them safe. It also deals with designing and arranging things so that workers can use them easily and safely.

Last April 18, our team conducted a house-to-house pre-assessment survey regarding ergonomics. The questionnaire involved a series of queries that include knowledge, attitude and perceptions toward occupational hazards. We divided ourselves into two groups and went separately to the two different zones. The houses are far from each other and distance is always a major concern in this kind of activity. Even so, after 3 hours of walking, we managed to finish the survey.

After 2 days of preparation, we conducted a lecture on ergonomics and invited the farmers to attend. Sir Tommy Leo Losbañes, a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from St. Pauls University, and is currently working at the Municipal Health Office of Cabatuan, was our chosen speaker for the topic. 30 minutes before the lecture, there were only 18 farmers who arrived and we were nervous and slightly disappointed that only a few might be coming to the event. However, 10 minutes before the lecture, many farmers started arriving, and out of 61 farmers in the sitio, 52 were present. Observing the farmers during the lecture, they were really eager to learn and very curious of everything. Sir Tommy enumerated some ergonomic problems that the farmers face every day and these are farmers’ awkward postures, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. He suggested that the farmers should make a work-rest schedule and trainings. He also explained and demonstrated proper body mechanics, and later on gave handouts to everyone. The room was filled with positive energy and it can be seen in the eyes of the farmers that they were very pleased and delighted.

Another activity achieved and completed! At the end of the day, we were just very thankful for our core group who helped us make this activity a success, and also to those farmers who were present all the way considering that their houses are far from where we were staying. It was a fun and unforgettable day for us. Seeing the farmers’ willingness and eagerness to learn more on how to keep their body healthy and how to avoid such accidents during work, made our day and made us realize how these unsung heroes of our society are very happy and contented with such little things. Kudos to all the farmers out there!