Expanding the Paradigm of Workspace Design: An Observational Study of Floor-Based Work Postures in a Bazaar in New Delhi, India

Ergonomic research in workspace design has largely been limited to chair-seated and standing work postures. However, a majority of the global workforce is employed in the informal economy, especially in parts of Asia and Africa where floor-based work postures are dominant. This pilot study analyzed floor-based work of 10 workers engaged in 5 occupations–fishmongers, poultry butchers, vegetable sellers, potters, cobblers—in a bazaar in New Delhi, India. Video analysis of 10-min segments revealed that floor-based workers performed tasks within dynamically negotiated, multi-level worksurfaces, rather than fixed-height workstations. Workers employed postural strategies including auxiliary limb engagement, asymmetrical load distribution, and continuous spinal reconfiguration to reshape the workspace geometries. Joint angle estimates ranged from 110° to 130° in knee and 90° to 120° in hip flexion, respectively. Preliminary findings suggest that floor-based work operates through an adaptive spatio-temporal logic distinct from the paradigm of chair-seated and standing work postures.