Does body posture during tree felling influence the physiological load of a chainsaw operator?

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics
• Occupational Health
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Work postures directly influence muscle activity and physiological load.
• Awkward postures are prevalent during chainsaw tree felling, posing ergonomic risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the physiological workload associated with different working postures during simulated chainsaw tree felling.
• To compare the heart rate responses across various common felling postures.

Main Methods:

• Heart rate (HR) was measured in 10 experienced fellers performing simulated felling tasks.
• Four distinct postures were evaluated: stoop, flexed-stoop, squat, and half-kneel.

Main Results:

• Squatting (114.1 bpm) and half-kneeling (116.3 bpm) showed significantly lower average HR than standing postures.
• Standing postures, including straight legs (121.5 bpm) and bent legs (125.3 bpm), elicited higher heart rate responses.
• All observed differences in average HR between postures were statistically significant (p<0.01).

Conclusions:

• Working posture significantly affects the physiological workload of chainsaw operators.
• Bent-forward standing postures induce a greater cardiovascular response than squatting or half-kneeling positions.