ISSN: 2577-2953
Authors: Mishra A, Singh R and Tandon P*
Hairdressers in India are at a high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) for various reasons, including holding scissors, awkward postures, repetitive tasks, etc. This case study is to investigate the intensity of MSD among the hairdressers in India. Musculoskeletal disorders have become a rather frequent subject of dissatisfaction among cosmetologists. The objective of this study was to identify the grey areas, where the risk is involved during the entire work cycle for a hairdresser. Also, it brings light to the workplace-related issues faced by hair salon employees and customers due to the current practices relevant to Indian hair salons, mainly considering the global pandemic. This study also discusses the broad spectrum of these salons, how they lie on the economic scale, and the evaluation of their working environments. The postural assessments have been carried out with the help of Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), which are the tools to gauge and evaluate the ergonomic risk factors associated with an individual's task. The observations and inferences drawn from this assessment were used to analyze the workplace-related hazards for the professionals involved in the entire process of a haircut. These results were also used to make suggestions and design interventions to make the working environment more ergonomic and suitable.
Keywords: Physical Ergonomics; Musculoskeletal Injury; REBA; RULA
