Research Projects

The aim of this project is to identify the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Indian Carpet Industry/Sector and redesign hand tools as well as workstations to reduce these MSDs. The project stresses the importance of implementing ergonomic interventions at various steps in producing carpets for reducing MSDs and other occupational health problems. These interventions have an impact not only on the textile sector but also on individual weaver and social levels. Emerging data suggest that the carpet sector faces a near epidemic of MSDs. Past research points out that interventions support weaver goals and performance, thus ergonomic interventions in carpet manufacturing can be considered a key to reducing MSDs at the social level. While there is no good national data on the extent of these injuries and illnesses either within the carpet sector or relative to other sectors, there is growing evidence that this problem likely exceeds all other types of injury and disease in the carpet industry.