Ergonomic Intervention Design for a Wood Processing Facility in Taraba State

This study designs evidence-based ergonomic interventions for a wood processing facility in Taraba State, North East Nigeria, addressing musculoskeletal disorder risks identified among the production workforce. Taraba State is home to significant commercial timber resources, and wood processing activities including sawing, planing, sanding, and finishing are economically important; however, the manual nature of many operations and the absence of ergonomic design considerations in existing workstations create considerable musculoskeletal injury risks. This research employs a participatory ergonomics approach, combining ergonomic risk assessment using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment tool, workers' subjective discomfort surveys, and collaborative intervention design workshops involving workers, supervisors, and management. Risk assessment results identify the log debarking and manual plank stacking operations as carrying the highest musculoskeletal disorder risk, with awkward trunk flexion and heavy manual lifting as dominant risk factors. Worker discomfort surveys confirm elevated prevalence of low back pain and shoulder discomfort, consistent with the observed working postures. Intervention designs developed through the participatory process include mechanically assisted log handling equipment, adjustable-height plank stacking platforms, and a task rotation schedule for high-risk operations. An implementation cost-benefit analysis demonstrates positive financial returns through projected reductions in absenteeism and compensation claims. Keywords: ergonomic intervention, participatory ergonomics, wood processing, Taraba State, musculoskeletal disorders