TY  - BOOK
AU  - Yogaratnam N
AU  - Jayalath J A D C S
AU  - Wijesuriya W
TI  - Some aspects of ergonomics of rubber tapping and human factors affecting worker productivity
PY  - 2001///
PB  - Journal of the National Institute of Plantation Management
KW  - Double tapping
KW  - Effective tapping time
KW  - Normal tapping
N2  - One of the main prerequisities for rubber production is the availability of an adequate supply of efficient labour force, in particular for harvesting (Tapping), as tapping cost is a major component of cost of production and accounts for about 35-45;of COP. Also, about 70;of the workers time is spent on harvesting. This pilot study is therefore designed to study some aspects of ergonomics of rubber tapping and human factors affecting rubber tapper productivity in order to identify the most appropriate methods of improving the efficiency and productivity of tappers and to improve their wage earning capacity. Primary and secondary data were collected by a time utilization study of the tapping and tapping related activities in the field from the time of commencement of work till the completion of latex weighing and reached their dwelling units/home by means of a stop watch, a field survey using a detailed interview schedule and also by unstructured interviews with plantation personnel. All variables related to management and technical aspects such as tapping task, intake per tapper, past experience, knowledge on tapping and tapping related factors, tapping standard in terms of tapping depth, angle and length and human aspects such as gender, age, civil status, height, weight, Body mass index, physiological status, attendance, eye sight, nutritional anemia, house hold activities, educational level etc that were considered in this study were fitted in a general linear regression model to determine the relationship between these variables and tapper productivity. Rubber tapper productivity in terms of intake per tapper ie. number of kilograms of latex harvested per day per tapper was found to vary with effective tapping time ie. time taken to tap and for movements from tree to tree within the tapping block. The high intake tappers took more time than the low intake tappers, but their standard of tapping was more acceptable than the low intake tappers. The effective tapping time of a High Intake Tappers is about 181 minutes on normal tapping day and 338 minutes on a double tapping day although the actual working time on each day is 330 minutes and 529 minutes on normal and double tappings, respectively. Taking these into consideration, it has been proposed that the tappers with a history of high intake be offered 2 tapping blocks of 300 trees per block for tapping-only operation with a leisure time of 30 minutes for mid-day snack at work site after the completion of the first task on a normal tapping day. All other tapping related activities to be done by sundry workers who are acceptable to the tappers concerned and covering 2 tapping tasks of 600 trees per task (1200 trees). Male tappers with experience, knowledge and developed skills on tapping and are regular to work are the most effective workers in terms of enhancement of productivity. Some human factors such as body weight, height, eyesight and nutritional anemic condition were not related to productivity, although illness seems to be one of the major factor for absenteeism. Emphasis is placed on improved tapping skill in order to preserve the rubber tree and assure steady income to tappers. Unskilled, low intake tappers should be identified and provided with specialized intensive training programmes to upgrade their skills. Such training programmes should include both human related factors as well as technical aspects. This should be followed-up with regular impact monitoring, evaluation and reporting system to provide regular fedback in order to identify critical issues and constrains and to provide solutions to improve their performance. Incentives in the form of work uniform, snack at work site, change in designation etc. should be considered along with organized skill development plants to encourage new generation of prospective tappers to accept tapping as their profession in order to improve worker productivity, out-turn and retention. A break even analysis of the proposed system to engage High Intake Tappers indicates an acceptable tapping cost of Rs. 16.89 per Kilogram of rubber harvested, at the same time enhancing the earning capacity of these tappers
UR  - Reprint
ER  -