Implementation of the cardiovascular load and rating scale mental effort to reduce the bakery worker's workload

This paper proposes measuring the physical and mental workload in a bakery where the human factor significantly influences the entire bread-making process. The significant use of human labor in the production process brings some drawbacks, including the increasing physical and mental workload and a high-temperature workspace. This study evaluates the physical and mental workload of bread makers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to formulate proper recommendations to improve the working environment depending on the typical working activities. The physical workload is calculated using the cardiovascular load method (CVL), while the Rating Scale Mental Effort (RSME) measures mental workload. The materials include the dataset containing the type of activities, the worker's heart rate, and the RSME questionnaire reflecting the worker's mental conditions. The result indicates three types of activities that are required to be improved, namely baking, cutting, and flavoring. Then, some treatments can be proposed for the baking activities, such as keeping the distance of workers when the oven is not operating, providing drinking water, increasing the time-off frequency, changing the working procedures, and worker's postures. Lastly, increasing time-off, providing supportive tools, and improving working postures can also be applied to cutting and flavoring activities.