assessment of job groups and employees ability by using of relative stress index (rsi) and work ability index (wai)

background: to reduce occupational accidents and work-related diseases as well as improving satisfaction of working conditions, assessment to identify risks and control measures are necessary. the aim of this study, applying ergonomic assessment indices relative stress index (rsi) and work ability index (wai) to assess the job groups and ability of workers. methods: this study was conducted on 194 men employed in the textile industry. for assessing of job groups the relative stress index (rsi) was used. also, for assessing of personnels ability, work ability index (wai) was used. the procedure was the interview with the persons. result analyzed with spss version 20. findings: results of rsi for 15 job groups showed that all job groups were in the green zone or safe (rsi greater than 7.6) . also results of wai showed that only “open” were to have good level of ability and other job groups were to have intermediate level of ability. it also was determined that there was a significant relationship between age and work experience with the results of the work ability index (wai). conclusion: relative stress index (rsi) is a tool for macroergonomics assessment of job risks. also, in six sets of tasks of rsi, levels of fitness are determined. but wai, ability to work is determined that is a wider meaning than the fitness. this index can reliably to predicted work disability, retirement and death.