Push/pull strength of agricultural workers in central India

An agricultural worker has to exert push/pull force in the horizontal plane while operating many farm tools and equipment. However, very little data are available on push/pull strength of agricultural workers. A study was therefore carried out to collect these data on male as well as female agricultural workers. A strength measurement setup developed at CIAE, Bhopal was used for the purpose. Data were collected on 920 subjects from different parts of Madhya Pradesh State in central India of which 604 were male and 316 were female agricultural workers. The mean age, stature and weight of the male subjects were 29.6 ± 8.9 years, 1646 ± 59 mm and 51.4 ± 6.5 kg whereas for female subjects the values were 32.6 ± 8.1 years, 1512 ± 52 mm and 45.3 ± 7.2 kg, respectively. The isometric push/pull strength of male subjects was higher than that of female subjects. The mean values for isometric push and pull strength in a standing posture with both hands (in the horizontal plane) were 253.8 ± 52.8 N and 234.2 ± 43.0 N, respectively for male subjects and 183.1 ± 35.6 N and 185.1 ± 30.8 N, respectively for female subjects. Weight of the subjects indicated a positive correlation with isometric push/pull strength. The 5th percentile push and pull strength values were 167.0 N and 163.5 N, respectively for male subjects and 124.4 N and 134.4 N, respectively for female subjects. These values can be used to set limits in the design of manually operated farm tools and equipment as well as for manual materials handling activities involving pushing/pulling, depending on the frequency of movement.Relevance to industryThe strength values and design criteria presented in this paper may be used for setting limits for design of manually operated tools and equipment involving push/pull activities in agriculture as well as in other industrial jobs.