Effect of ergonomic seat redesign for a gingga machine on musculoskeletal disorder complaints among oil palm
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Abstract
Oil palm fertilization exposes workers to manual handling, repetitive movements, and non neutral postures, yet evidence is limited on ergonomic seating integrated into gingga machines used for fertilizer application. This study evaluated whether a redesigned gingga seat was associated with reduced musculoskeletal disorder complaints among oil palm fertilization workers. A quasi-experimental pretest posttest control-group study was conducted at an oil palm plantation in North Sumatra, Indonesia, from October to December 2025. Using purposive sampling, 84 eligible workers were allocated equally to an intervention group using gingga machines with redesigned seats (n = 42) and a control group continuing usual work (n = 42). Musculoskeletal complaints were measured using the Nordic Body Map and analyzed separately within each group using paired samples t-tests. The control group mean decreased from 61.45 to 60.80, a nonsignificant reduction of 0.65 points (p = 0.231). The intervention group mean decreased from 62.10 to 54.35, a significant reduction of 7.75 points or 12.5% (p < 0.001), with the group mean shifting from the painful to the slight-pain category. These findings suggest a potentially meaningful practical improvement following seat redesign. However, groups were not randomly assigned, baseline characteristics differed, and change scores were not compared directly between groups; therefore, a comparative intervention effect cannot be confirmed. The redesigned seats provide preliminary evidence for adapting gingga machines to workers’ physical support needs. Randomized or matched studies using anthropometric design, objective ergonomic measures, direct between group analysis, and longer follow-up are needed to confirm effectiveness and sustainability.
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How to Cite
Sinaga, H. F., Mallapiang, F., Habibi, H., Ibrahim, H., & Ahmad, L. O. I. (2026). Effect of ergonomic seat redesign for a gingga machine on musculoskeletal disorder complaints among oil palm . International Journal on Health and Medical Sciences, 4(3), 209–217. https://doi.org/10.35335/healmed.v4i3.768
References
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Ng, Y. G., Tamrin, S. B. M., Yusoff, I. S. M., Hashim, Z., Deros, B. M. D., Bakar, S. A., & How, V. (2015). Risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among oil palm fruit harvesters during early harvesting stage. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.5604/12321966.1152101
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Ramdan, I. M., Duma, K., & Setyowati, D. L. (2019). Reliability and Validity Test of the Indonesian Version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to Measure Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) in Traditional Women Weavers. Global Medical & Health Communication (GMHC), 7(2). https://doi.org/10.29313/gmhc.v7i2.4132
Rivilis, I., Van Eerd, D., Cullen, K., Cole, D. C., Irvin, E., Tyson, J., & Mahood, Q. (2008). Effectiveness of participatory ergonomic interventions on health outcomes: A systematic review. Applied Ergonomics, 39(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2007.08.006
Robertson, M., Amick, B. C., DeRango, K., Rooney, T., Bazzani, L., Harrist, R., & Moore, A. (2009). The effects of an office ergonomics training and chair intervention on worker knowledge, behavior and musculoskeletal risk. Applied Ergonomics, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2007.12.009
Santos, W., Rojas, C., Isidoro, R., Lorente, A., Dias, A., Mariscal, G., Benlloch, M., & Lorente, R. (2025). Efficacy of Ergonomic Interventions on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. In Journal of Clinical Medicine (Vol. 14, Number 9). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14093034
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Susihono, W., & Adiatmika, I. P. G. (2021). The effects of ergonomic intervention on the musculoskeletal complaints and fatigue experienced by workers in the traditional metal casting industry. Heliyon, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06171
Tarwaka. (2015). Ergonomi Industri Dasar-Dasar Pengetahuan Ergonomi dan Aplikasi di Tempat Kerja Edisi II. In Surakarta: Harapan Press.
Van Niekerk, S. M., Louw, Q. A., & Hillier, S. (2012). The effectiveness of a chair intervention in the workplace to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. A systematic review. In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (Vol. 13). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-13-145
WHO. (2022). Musculoskeletal health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions
Widyanti, A. (2018). Ergonomic Checkpoint in Agriculture, Postural Analysis, and Prevalence of Work Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Indonesian Farmers: Road to Safety and Health in Agriculture. Jurnal Teknik Industri: Jurnal Keilmuan Dan Aplikasi Teknik Industri, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.9744/jti.20.1.1-10
Wurzelbacher, S. J., Lampl, M. P., Bertke, S. J., & Tseng, C.-Y. (2020). The effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in material handling operations. Applied Ergonomics, 87, 103139.
Bhuanantanondh, P., Buchholz, B., Arphorn, S., Kongtip, P., & Woskie, S. (2021). The prevalence of and risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders in thai oil palm harvesting workers: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105474
Channak, S., Klinsophon, T., & Janwantanakul, P. (2022). The effects of chair intervention on lower back pain, discomfort and trunk muscle activation in office workers: a systematic review. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 28(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2021.1928379
Da Costa, B. R., & Vieira, E. R. (2010). Risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review of recent longitudinal studies. In American Journal of Industrial Medicine (Vol. 53, Number 3). https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.20750
Dev, A., Ganaie, M. I., Mayer, I. A., & Singh, H. (2025). Risk of musculoskeletal disorders in female farmers and its socioeconomic determinants in Kashmir valley. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, 31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2024.101871
Greggi, C., Visconti, V. V., Albanese, M., Gasperini, B., Chiavoghilefu, A., Prezioso, C., Persechino, B., Iavicoli, S., Gasbarra, E., Iundusi, R., & Tarantino, U. (2024). Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. In Journal of Clinical Medicine (Vol. 13, Number 13). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13133964
Henry, L. J., Jafarzadeh Esfehani, A., Ramli, A., Ishak, I., Justine, M., & Mohan, V. (2015). Patterns of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among workers in palm plantation occupation. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/1010539513475657
Kuorinka, I., Jonsson, B., Kilbom, A., Vinterberg, H., Biering-Sørensen, F., Andersson, G., & Jørgensen, K. (1987). Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. Applied Ergonomics, 18(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-6870(87)90010-X
Mohamaddan, S., Rahman, M. A., Andrew_Munot, M., Tanjong, S. J., Deros, B. M., Md Dawal, S. Z., & Case, K. (2021). Investigation of oil palm harvesting tools design and technique on work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper body. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2021.103226
Myzabella, N., Fritschi, L., Merdith, N., El-Zaemey, S., Chih, H., & Reid, A. (2019). Occupational health and safety in the palm oil industry: A systematic review. In International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (Vol. 10, Number 4). https://doi.org/10.15171/ijoem.2019.1576
Ng, Y. G., Tamrin, S. B. M., Yik, W. M., Yusoff, I. S. M., & Mori, I. (2014). The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder and association with productivity loss: A preliminary study among labour intensive manual harvesting activities in oil palm plantation. Industrial Health, 52(1). https://doi.org/10.2486/indhealth.2013-0017
Ng, Y. G., Tamrin, S. B. M., Yusoff, I. S. M., Hashim, Z., Deros, B. M. D., Bakar, S. A., & How, V. (2015). Risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders among oil palm fruit harvesters during early harvesting stage. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 22(2). https://doi.org/10.5604/12321966.1152101
O. Odebiyi, D., & Arinze Chris Okafor, U. (2023). Musculoskeletal Disorders, Workplace Ergonomics and Injury Prevention. In Ergonomics - New Insights. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106031
Pillastrini, P., Mugnai, R., Bertozzi, L., Costi, S., Curti, S., Guccione, A., Mattioli, S., & Violante, F. S. (2010). Effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention on work-related posture and low back pain in video display terminal operators: A 3 year cross-over trial. Applied Ergonomics, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2009.09.008
Rakpongsiri, K., Lau, A. C., & Duangkaew, R. (2025). Ergonomic design of fertilizer application equipment to enhance the health and safety of Thai coffee farmers. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v15i4.76574
Ramdan, I. M., Duma, K., & Setyowati, D. L. (2019). Reliability and Validity Test of the Indonesian Version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) to Measure Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) in Traditional Women Weavers. Global Medical & Health Communication (GMHC), 7(2). https://doi.org/10.29313/gmhc.v7i2.4132
Rivilis, I., Van Eerd, D., Cullen, K., Cole, D. C., Irvin, E., Tyson, J., & Mahood, Q. (2008). Effectiveness of participatory ergonomic interventions on health outcomes: A systematic review. Applied Ergonomics, 39(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2007.08.006
Robertson, M., Amick, B. C., DeRango, K., Rooney, T., Bazzani, L., Harrist, R., & Moore, A. (2009). The effects of an office ergonomics training and chair intervention on worker knowledge, behavior and musculoskeletal risk. Applied Ergonomics, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2007.12.009
Santos, W., Rojas, C., Isidoro, R., Lorente, A., Dias, A., Mariscal, G., Benlloch, M., & Lorente, R. (2025). Efficacy of Ergonomic Interventions on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. In Journal of Clinical Medicine (Vol. 14, Number 9). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14093034
Siregar, M. H., Susanti, R., Indriawati, R., Panma, Y., Hanaruddin, D. Y., Adhiwijaya, A., Akbar, H., Nugraha, D. P., & Renaldi, R. (2022). Metodologi penelitian kesehatan. Yayasan Penerbit Muhammad Zaini.
Susihono, W., & Adiatmika, I. P. G. (2021). The effects of ergonomic intervention on the musculoskeletal complaints and fatigue experienced by workers in the traditional metal casting industry. Heliyon, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06171
Tarwaka. (2015). Ergonomi Industri Dasar-Dasar Pengetahuan Ergonomi dan Aplikasi di Tempat Kerja Edisi II. In Surakarta: Harapan Press.
Van Niekerk, S. M., Louw, Q. A., & Hillier, S. (2012). The effectiveness of a chair intervention in the workplace to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms. A systematic review. In BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (Vol. 13). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-13-145
WHO. (2022). Musculoskeletal health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions
Widyanti, A. (2018). Ergonomic Checkpoint in Agriculture, Postural Analysis, and Prevalence of Work Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Indonesian Farmers: Road to Safety and Health in Agriculture. Jurnal Teknik Industri: Jurnal Keilmuan Dan Aplikasi Teknik Industri, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.9744/jti.20.1.1-10
Wurzelbacher, S. J., Lampl, M. P., Bertke, S. J., & Tseng, C.-Y. (2020). The effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in material handling operations. Applied Ergonomics, 87, 103139.
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