ORIGINAL PAPER
Effect of participatory ergonomics program on reducing ergonomic risk factors among the aging workers on ginger peelers in Wat Puranawas community, Thailand
			
	
 
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				1
				Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
(Occupational Therapy Division, Faculty of Physical Therapy)
				 
			 
						
				2
				Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
(Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences)
				 
			 
										
				
				
		
		 
			
			
		
		
		
		
			
			 
			Online publication date: 2025-07-14
			 
		 		
		
		 
	
							
																				    		
    			 
    			
    				    					Corresponding author
    					    				    				
    					Phichaya  Baramee   
    					Mahidol University, Occupational Therapy Division, Faculty of Physical Therapy, 999 Phuttamonthon 4 Road, Salaya,
Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
    				
 
    			
				 
    			 
    		 		
			
							 
		
	 
		
 
 
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2025;38(4):324-34
		
 
 
    HIGHLIGHTS
    
    	
    	    	- Ginger peeler aging workers have risk of work-related injury.
 
    	    	- Short period participatory ergonomics program can reduce ergonomic risk factors and enhance work ability.
 
    	    	- The effects of the program remain even during the follow-up period.
 
    	    	- Participatory ergonomics programs can be applied for ginger peeler aging workers in community context.
 
    	    	
     
 
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the effects of the participatory ergonomics (PE) program on reducing the ergonomic risk factors and increasing the work performance among the aging workers who work as ginger peelers in the Wat Puranawas community in Thailand. Material and Methods: Fourteen older workers who work in the Wat Puranawas community are recruited, by purposive sampling. Participants attend the PE program twice, each session lasts 60 min. The measuring instruments used are: the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), the Work Ability Index (WAI), and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). The Friedman test is used for comparing the difference in the outcome from 3 periods, the pre-test period, the post-test period (at 2 weeks after implementing the PE program), and the follow-up period (at 4 weeks after the conclusion of the PE program). Wilcoxon signed-rank test was also performed. Results: The scores of the RULA and the scores of COPM in the domain of satisfaction and performance during ginger peeling are improved during the post-test and the follow-up period (p < 0.05). The scores of WAI show no statistical significance when comparing the 3 periods (p = 0.079). Conclusions: The results indicate that the PE program can effectively reduce ergonomic risk factors and enhance the workability among aging workers who work as ginger peelers. Int J Occup Med
Environ Health. 2025;38(4):324–334