Keerthi Raman Jagadeeswaran’s research while affiliated with Anna University, Chennai and other places

Purpose Urbanisation, e-commerce and COVID-19 are the strong drivers for an ever-increasing demand for last-mile delivery services. Last-mile deliveries face tight deadlines and considerable time pressure due to increased parcel volumes and regular seasonal sales. Given these challenges involved in customer satisfaction, the usage of motorcycles for last-mile delivery has considerably increased. Despite the popularity of motorcycles, increases in rider injuries and fatalities have become a public health concern. The purpose of this paper is to address the ergonomic risks involved in last-mile delivery services. Design/methodology/approach The objective of this study is to analyse the physical ergonomic risks associated with the last-mile delivery personnel. Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire is used for Data collection and Logistic regression is used to analyse the data. Further, Hand-Arm Vibration and Whole-Body Vibration data are used to study the Heart Rate Variability; and Rapid Entire Body Assessment tool is used to analyse the riding posture. Findings The continuous riding of motorcycles and the repetitive loading on the musculoskeletal system of the rider leads to risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The findings provided insights about the MSDs and the associated risk variables for last-mile delivery personnel. Originality/value The results of the study highlight the need for physical ergonomic solutions and improved working conditions. The study contributes new insights that will be helpful for academicians, practitioners, policy makers and researchers working in the areas of physical ergonomic risk assessment of motorcycle riders.

Background: The majority of Indians prefer to drive by two-wheeler. Hands are the most important interface between the rider and bike while riding a motorbike. The vibration is transferred to the physical structure by the handlebar as it travels. Long-term exposure to the vibrations may have an impact on various bodily structures. Objective: To measure and analyse the human exposure to vibration in the hand-arm system while riding a motor cycle using a vibrometer. Methods: The several types of bikes based on their cc's were evaluated in three different road conditions during this investigation (tar road, concrete road, and gravel road). The subjective and quantitative data of each participant were recorded. The RMS A(8) values were supported for every combination of motorcycles ad road conditions, and vibration intensity was evaluated using a tri-axial vibrometer. Results: The exposure limit value for daily vibration exposure is 5 m/s2 according to the UK Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 standards.This study suggests that the bike with the least amount of vibration be used to prevent hand-arm vibration (HAV) syndrome. This study found that bike C had the least vibration across all three types of roads, which will benefit riders by reducing health issues as they ride. Therefore, it is further examined utilising the Taguchi method with various bike c age groups. Bike c with the lowest age had the least vibration when different bike c ages were compared, hence it was recommended for riding. Conclusion: The vibration level of each bike has a huge impact, which was measured using a tri-axial vibrometer. According to the results, bike C has the least vibration across three distinct types of roads ad also provides riders with less health issues while riding bikes. As a result, a moped can drive in three different road circumstances with the least amount of vibration, delivering comfort and safety while lowering vibration levels.