Reducing workplace accidents in a cement company by assessment of physical and mental workload: A case study

¹ Regional Research and Development Agency of West Sumatra, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia
² Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Andalas, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: primafithri@eng.unand.ac.id

Abstract

As one of the leading cement companies in Indonesia, PT Semen Padang is known for its extensive distribution network. As the largest cement factory, the employees at this company engage in work that requires a high level of physical and mental effort. Although the tasks performed by the employees may be similar, the experience of psychological workload can vary greatly among them. The TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and AFR (Alternative Fuel and Raw Material) departments in the company have several routine activities carried out daily. The numerous job demands that require physical exertion within limited time constraints can lead to a high workload level for employees in TPM and AFR. This workload is not limited to physical aspects but also includes psychological impacts that can disrupt employees’s concentration and performance. In this study, questionnaires were given to 7 employees from TPM and 7 employees from AFR. Based on the research conducted on physical workload using the CVL method, AFR employees experienced more physical workload compared to TPM employees. In terms of mental workload, using the NASA-TLX method, both TPM and AFR employees had 2 employees each with very high mental workload.