Occupational Characteristics and Ergonomic Assessment of Work Postures among Bamboo and Cane Weaving Craftsmen in Assam, India
Poripurna Goswami
*
Department of Family and Community Resource Management, Faculty of Family and Community Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India.
Urvashi Mishra
Department of Family and Community Resource Management, Faculty of Family and Community Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Gujarat, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The study aimed to assess the occupational and ergonomic characteristics of selected bamboo and cane weaving craftsmen in Assam, with particular emphasis on workspace sitting arrangements, adopted working postures, and associated ergonomic risk.
Study Design: A descriptive research design was adopted.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Barpeta Cluster of Assam from June 2024 to July 2025.
Methodology: A total of 260 craftsmen were purposively selected (n = 97 bamboo-only, n = 47 cane-only, and n = 116 bamboo-and-cane craftsmen) to assess occupational and personal characteristics. Detailed observational postural assessment and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) were conducted among a purposively selected subsample of 60 craftsmen (20 participants per activity group; 10 males and 10 females). Data were collected using a structured interview schedule and observational sheets. Associations between posture types and personal variables were examined using the chi-square test of independence and post-hoc residual analysis.
Results: The mean age and work experience of the respondents were 42.88 years and 15.42 years, respectively, while the mean daily working duration was 7.48 hours. Overall, 43.46% of craftsmen worked for 6–8 hours per day and 39.23% worked for more than 8 hours. A wooden low stool/Pidha was the most commonly reported sitting arrangement during splitting (57.70%), stripping (42.30%), bending (53.80%), weaving (38.50%), and finishing (46.20%). Among the 60 craftsmen assessed through REBA, squatting, crossed-leg sitting, one-leg-folded/one-leg-extended sitting, and sitting upright were observed across different activities. High REBA risk was particularly pronounced during bending, where 100% of the observed respondents across the reported gender and craft groups were classified in the high-risk category for both body sides. During splitting, stripping, weaving, and finishing, high-risk classifications were also frequently observed, particularly among squatting, crossed-leg, and one-leg-folded/one-leg-extended postures. A statistically significant association was found between age and type of adopted posture (χ² = 14.56, p = 0.006), whereas associations with gender (χ² = 5.34, p = 0.069) and work experience (χ² = 9.81, p = 0.279) were not significant. Post-hoc analysis showed that squatting was adopted significantly more frequently than expected among craftsmen aged 20–35 years (adjusted residual = +2.34, p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Bamboo and cane weaving involve prolonged daily work, predominantly low-level sitting arrangements, constrained postures, and considerable ergonomic risk. The high prevalence of high-risk REBA classifications, particularly during bending, highlights the need for ergonomically appropriate sitting arrangements and workstation design. Incorporating suitable seating, posture modification, adequate rest pauses, task variation, and ergonomic awareness may help reduce postural strain and occupational discomfort and improve the safety and efficiency of traditional bamboo and cane weaving work.
Keywords: Bamboo and cane weaving, ergonomics, postural analysis, REBA, sitting arrangement, traditional craftsmen