Ergonomic evaluation of work load and work environment of male conch shell workers engaged in unorganised sectors in west bengal

Abstract

The conch shell crafting sector is one of the primeval handicrafts sector of India that provides livelihood to a large number of conch shell workers. Conch itself have religious and aesthetic value in Hindu culture from the distant past. Conch shell crafting sector is an unorganized sector. The conch shell workers working in this sector shows unique craftsmanship through their exclusive art piece of art work. The job profile of conch shell artisans consists of different occupational health stressors such as- awkward postures, visual stress, exposure to conch shell dust, manual work load etc. But in spite of having supreme legacy in the handicraft sector, there is a very limited data available on the conch shell workers from the occupational view point. newline