Ergonomics Evaluation of Training Activities Postures in Engineering Workshop At Vocational Training Centre Bizaisham Bidin a , A.R. Omar b , R. Jaafar b a Skills Professional Development Program Centre for Instructor and Advance Skills Training (CIAST) Jalan Petani 19/1, Section 19, 40900 Shah Alam, Selangor,Malaysia b Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) 40450, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia a Email: bizaisham@yahoo.com Abstract - This paper presents a detailed study to evaluate awkward postures of trainees when conducting practical training activities in engineering workshops at Vocational Training Centre (VTC). The awkward postures contribute to uncomfortable conditions and may cause musculoskeletal injuries. Subjects of the study are vocational training (VT) trainees selected from various engineering workshops to identify their posture conditions during their practical training sessions. These selected trainees are males and the average age is 19 years old. Physical observation using digital camera was used to identify the awkward postures during these activities and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) technique was used to determine the level of ergonomic risk due to these awkward postures. Based on the observation and assessment, evidences showed that the trainees are exposed to ergonomic risks with 40% and 60% of the activities at high and medium level respectively. There is a high probability of causing musculoskeletal problems and relevant solutions can be introduced to reduce ergonomics hazard for practical training activities. Keywords-component; Vocational Training Centre, awkward postures, uncomfortable conditions, musculosketal injuries, physical observation, Rapid Entire Body Assessment I. INTRODUCTION Vocational training (VT) is a platform that provides technical training to develop skill workers for the Malaysian industries. The government has put serious effort in developing skilled workers that will be part of the human capital development for Malaysia to become a developed country by 2020. VT covers all treat of trainings from administration, hospitality, banking, tourism and engineering [1]. The National Occupational Skills Standards (NOSS), which specifies the competencies expected of a skilled worker, requires the skills training programmes conditions provided by the centre conducted are benchmarked against actual workplace requirements and hence similar environmental work conditions are provided. At the VTC engineering workshops, trainees are exposed to practical hands-on skills operating machineries and equipment like those used in industries. The existing of ergonomics hazard at VTC engineering workshop will be similar with industry based on the benchmark on condition and activity of job. The Department of the Occupational and Safety Health in Malaysia [2] has reported statistics that the engineering industries in Malaysia have the highest number of occupational injuries as compared to other industries. Even though the occupational injury report only focuses in industries, it is also an indicator for engineering workshops due to the similarities in the workstation activities and stations between industries and engineering workshops, which are related and relevant. II. METHODOLODY The study was conducted at Institute Training Industries Kuala Lumpur (ITIKL) in Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur. The ergonomics hazard will be monitored which focused on awkward postures of trainees during their practical training at VTC engineering workshops. The postures of the trainees were observed during practical training activities at five different engineering workshops, i.e. electrical, automotive, welding, air-condition and general machine. One such practical training in the automotive engineering workshop include overhauling petrol engine and the movement of the trainees carrying out their tasks monitored from the beginning until completion and this activity normally takes about three to four hours. Awkward postures of the activities identified and assessed to find the risk level of ergonomics through the use of Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) technique. The process flow conducted in this study is illustrated in Figure 1 U.S. Government work not protected by U.S. copyright 2012 IEEE Colloquium on Humanities, Science & Engineering Research (CHUSER 2012), December 3-4, 2012, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia 666