Assessment of ergonomic risk factors in occupational motorcycle riding: an experimental investigation

Today, the use of motorcycles has increased in the e-commerce sector for the delivery of fast food, courier or parcels, etc. The associated risk of discomfort exists here, due to long hours of exposure. For the ergonomic risk factors assessment, an experimental simulation of motorcycle riding from an occupational point of view was planned. In this, participants were invited to ride the motorcycle for 25 min at an average speed of 30 km/h for different riding postures depending on the geometry of the motorcycles. Whole body vibration (WBV) has been shown to be a major ergonomic risk factor as per the ISO 2631-1 assessment. The WBV exposure level found to be exceeding the upper limit of the health guideline caution zone (HGCZ) of ISO 2631-1 by more than five times. WBV exposure was higher for the slightly forward lean riding posture motorcycle than for the upright erect riding posture motorcycle. In addition, upper body muscle activities have shown that the slightly forward lean posture had higher muscular activity than the upright erect posture. Ergonomic interventions can reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) to delivery workers if implemented.