Understanding ergonomic risks in mica processing
Improving working conditions across the mica supply chain requires looking closely at how work is performed every day and identifying practical ways to reduce risks for workers.
In April 2026, the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) commissioned an ergonomic needs assessment in India to better understand the physical risks associated with mica processing activities. The objective went beyond compliance with RMI’s Global Workplace Standard: it aimed to identify musculoskeletal risks and explore practical, relatively low-cost improvements that could reduce physical strain and improve working conditions.
The assessment covered five work processes, with 33 technical assessments conducted across three factories and two villages in Jharkhand. In total, 81 workers and community members were reached, 82% of whom were women.
The methodology combined recognized ergonomic assessment methods, including RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment), with task mapping, workplace measurements, individual technical assessments, focus group discussions and worker-reported body-pain mapping. This approach allowed RMI to combine technical observations with workers’ own experiences.
What did the ergonomic assessment find?
Five activities were examined, ranging from manual mica splitting and machine cutting to table sorting, floor sorting and home-based manual splitting. Women represented all or most of the workforce in several of these activities, particularly manual splitting and sorting.
Across the five processes assessed, ergonomic risks were rated high or very high. Recurring issues included prolonged static postures, repetitive hand movements and sustained visual demand. While factory workers had designated work areas, seating, tables and other ergonomic supports were often inadequate. Community-based workers had even less access to formal workplace infrastructure.
Workers reported discomfort affecting areas including the neck, lower back, shoulders, knees, wrists and fingers. The assessment also observed workers using makeshift cushions, wooden supports and other adaptations to reduce discomfort.
One activity emerged as an immediate priority: manual floor sorting. This work involves prolonged squatting and floor-level sorting, as well as repetitive hand movements. The assessment identified risks associated with sustained neck and trunk flexion and pressure on the knees and ankles.
Home-based manual mica splitting was identified as another priority. This activity is carried out at floor level, with no access to dedicated ergonomic workstations or support.
Moving from assessment to practical solutions
The findings provide a starting point for action. A central conclusion of the assessment is that raising awareness alone is not enough: reducing ergonomic risk also requires changes to workstations and daily working practices.
Some improvements can be relatively straightforward, such as better lighting or appropriate lumbar support. Others require solutions to be designed, fabricated and tested with workers, including ergonomic seating, raised or adjustable sorting surfaces, stools and cushioned benches.
Alongside physical improvements, the assessment recommends strengthening management practices through measures such as job rotation, worker multiskilling, regular opportunities for breaks and posture changes, ergonomic training, and ongoing monitoring of ergonomic risks.
From prototypes to pilots and scale-up
The next phase will therefore follow a design, fabrication, pilot and scale-up approach. Solutions will first be developed and manufactured, then tested with workers so that they can be refined based on their feedback before broader implementation.
RMI plans to begin with manual floor sorting, piloting prototypes in two to three processing units and adjusting their design based on feedback from women sorters The pilot phase will also assess how the proposed solutions affect productivity. This worker feedback will be essential to ensure that the proposed solutions are not only ergonomically appropriate, but practical for everyday use.
A separate pilot is also planned for home-based workers. Following the testing and adaptation phase, the ambition is to progressively scale suitable solutions across processing units and RMI’s community programs.
The potential reach is significant. For home-based mica processing, RMI has identified the potential to reach approximately 2,000 workers across 50 villages.
Putting workers at the center of continuous improvement
The assessment provides evidence to help turn identified risks into practical improvements that can be tested, adapted and progressively expanded.
Importantly, workers themselves will be part of that process. By incorporating their feedback during the pilot phase, RMI aims to develop solutions that respond to the realities of mica sorting and processing rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.
This work also demonstrates how responsible mica sourcing can extend beyond compliance to address the everyday conditions in which people work. By bringing together technical assessment, worker experience, processor engagement and practical experimentation, RMI aims to support healthier and safer working conditions across mica processing communities in India.
