Applied Ergonomics
Volume 37, Issue 6, 2006, Pages 719-727

Development and initial assessment of objective fatigue measures for apple harvest work (Article)

Earle-Richardson G.* , Jenkins P.L. , Strogatz D. , Bell E.M. , May J.J.
  • a New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Bassett Healthcare, 1 Atwell Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326, United States
  • b Bassett Research Institute, Cooperstown, NY, United States
  • c University at Albany, School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY, United States
  • d University at Albany, School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY, United States
  • e New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, Bassett Healthcare, 1 Atwell Rd., Cooperstown, NY 13326, United States

Abstract

Previous research has shown that neck, back and shoulder musculoskeletal strain is a major occupational health problem affecting migrant orchard harvest workers. Researchers seek to measure the effect of an ergonomic modification to the apple picking bucket on muscle fatigue, however objective measures for use in the orchard are not yet available. The purpose of this study is to develop simple back, shoulder or arm strength measures, which detect statistically significant drops in strength over one workday. Candidate muscle strength measures were piloted in the laboratory, adapted for the orchard and evaluated (n=102). Data were analyzed for morning to afternoon fatigue, and for correlation between fatigue score and hours worked. In the laboratory, the timed arm hold (35.7% time reduction, 95% CI: 21.81-49.61), and the timed spinal extension (31.8% time reduction, 95% CI: 23.54-39.96) showed significant fatigue. In the orchard (n=102), only the timed arm hold showed significant (11.4%, p<.0001) fatigue. The potential effect of field conditions and subject motivation on these results needs further exploration. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Ergonomics Migrant farmworkers Musculoskeletal strain

Index Keywords

clinical research agricultural worker motivation human controlled study measurement Occupational Diseases statistical significance musculoskeletal system health ergonomics male female functional assessment scoring system Article muscle exercise Medical problems Musculoskeletal strain adult muscle strain human experiment Statistical methods Fatigue measures neck muscle Human Factors data analysis Arm strength measures Orchards Migrant farmworkers back muscle muscle strength muscle fatigue arm muscle harvesting
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33745992633&doi=10.1016%2fj.apergo.2005.12.002&partnerID=40&md5=dd811a7e43e88a3c1ca35ed932252838
DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2005.12.002
ISSN: 00036870
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English