Results of this study confirm that van-rickshaw
pulling is a very strenuous job, especially in hot
environmental conditions. Pedalling requires
extreme muscle force, which can increase cardiovascular
load. Mean values of all parameters in
both groups of workers showed that cardiovascular
load was very high and increased with age. So, the
older participants reduced the number of trips and
lost some of their earnings. Global heating due to
climate changes will pose an additional threat to
this occupation. The workload could be minimized
by implementing some ergonomic interventions,
e.g., redesigning the vehicles, establishing a fixed
weight carrying limit for different age groups of
pullers, maintaining the vehicles properly, establishing
proper rest pauses. Besides, regular re-
hydration between trips is recommended.