Abstract :
Food processing enterprises are one of the leading enterprises in India. It employs around 17.41 lakhs people in registered food processing sector whereas 47.90 lakh in unregistered sector. Most of the workforces employed in food processing sector are female. They have to work both in the home as well as in the enterprises due to which they overburden their body and are at high risk of developing work related musculoskeletal discomforts. In the light of above present study was planned to study the personal as well as job profile of workers engaged in food processing enterprises of Punjab. For conducting the study, six micro, three small and two medium scale food processing enterprises were selected. From each type of enterprises 50 respondents were selected making a total of 150 respondents. An interview schedule was developed to assess the job profile of respondents. Results revealed that 98 per cent respondents in medium scale food processing enterprises were working for more than eight hours daily with a weekly off. Moreover, the work in medium scale food processing enterprises was highly repetitive and monotonous as all respondents performed same task whole day. High difference was observed in the wages of micro, small and medium scale enterprises. It can be concluded that food processing is a job requiring highest manual involvement with less focus on the human factors of workers engaged in the enterprises. The main motive of enterprises was high productivity and workers comforts were highly neglected.
Keyword :
Food processing enterprises, Job profile, Work related musculoskeletal discomforts