Orchard evaluation of ergonomically modified apple bucket

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Safety
• Ergonomics
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Preliminary lab tests suggest hip belts may reduce musculoskeletal strain on the back, neck, and shoulders.
• An orchard trial is necessary to evaluate real-world effectiveness and worker acceptance of hip belts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess hip belt effectiveness regarding worker acceptance, productivity, and one-day muscle fatigue in apple harvest workers.
• To provide data for the ergonomic improvement of harvesting tasks.

Main Methods:

• Ninety-six apple harvest workers participated in a one-week crossover trial using an intervention hip belt or a placebo belt.
• Worker acceptance was assessed via interviews, productivity by bushels picked per day, and muscle fatigue through testing.
• Subjects completed one week with the intervention and one week with the placebo.

Main Results:

• Ninety-one percent of workers preferred the intervention hip belt.
• Hip belt use did not significantly impact picking speed (8.8 bu/hr vs. 8.89 bu/hr for placebo), but both were faster than regular equipment (8.13 bu/hr).
• No significant differences in one-day muscle fatigue were observed between the intervention and placebo conditions.

Conclusions:

• The hip belt is acceptable to apple harvest workers and does not impede productivity.
• The study did not demonstrate significant ergonomic benefits in reducing one-day muscle fatigue, despite positive worker feedback.