Efficient and safe production processes in sustainable agriculture and forestry XXXIV CIOSTA CIGR V Conference 2011

Analyzing the manual handling y g grisk in the vine growing and wine production sectors

R. Gubiani 1 ,S.R.S.Cividino 1, M.Vello 1, E. Maroncelli 1,, G. Pergher 11DISA, Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Via delle Scienze 208, 33100 - Udine –

i bi i@ i d itItaly; rino.gubiani@uniud.it

Folie 1

G1 EVENTUALE LOGO DEL CONVEGNOGemini, 31/05/2006

Introduction

MSDs are one of the most common work-related health problems affecting millions of European workers across all employment sectors at a cost of billions of Euros to E lEuropean employers;

45% of European workers report working in painful or tiring positions;33% are required to handle heavy loads in their work33% are required to handle heavy loads in their work

the number of accidents and professional illnesses reported in 2008 has increased by 68% over the previous year, with a substantial share (10%) of skeletal muscle by 68% o e t e p e ous yea , t a substa t a s a e ( 0%) o s e eta usc epathologies;

• muscle-skeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major cause of disability in the working ( ) j y gpopulation and may affect muscles, tendons, joints, nerves and related soft tissues anywhere in the body;

• field jobs (harvesting, pruning, weeding, cultural practices, etc.) demanding physical tasks, involving stooped postures, lifting and carrying, and repetitive hand work;

In the international bibliography the problems about MSD’s, in particular about backbone and upper limb don’t be a good

t i th i lt l kassessment in the agricultural workersOne research in Champagne about pruning workers have find a lot of night numbness and tingling and wrist paina lot of night numbness and tingling and wrist pain

The distribution of MSD’s show for female and male a lot of t di iti t th h d d C l t l d (CTS)tendinitis to the hand and Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) more to the right hand than left and more often in females

In order to asses safety risks related on manual handling operations, a representative sample of 43 wineries was

l t d i F i li V i Gi liselected in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The survey has been developed during 2008/2011, by dividing the work into four phases:the work into four phases:

1. to plan a specific check list;

2. to develop a analysis whit specific method (NIOSH);

3. to determine a critical work’s phase;

4. to propose technical or ergonomics solutions.

The survey was focused on four typical figures working in these farms:The survey was focused on four typical figures working in these farms:

a) the harvester worker; b) th t t d ib) the tractor driver; c) the winery worker; d) the store worker.

All operations connected with the production of high-quality grapes and wines were analysed (mostly including manual grape harvesting and y ( y g g p gselection, and wine ageing in barrels or barriques).

Nearly 800 measurements were taken to assess:Nearly 800 measurements were taken to assess:

- the Single Task Lifting Index (STLI) in each manual handling operation;the Composite Lifting Index (CLI) associated to each worker- the Composite Lifting Index (CLI) associated to each worker.

Sample No Weigh (min max)Sample No. Weigh (min_max)Farm 43

H k 39 14 27Harvester worker 39 14-27Tractor driver 20 10-40Winery worker 12 5-25

Storeman 24 10-56

Program Dovarisk Copyright © 2008 SBG software engineeringProgram Dovarisk Copyright © 2008 SBG software engineering

Example of NIOSH model appication

1 Harvester WorkerN° N°Nop

NComp Hm Dv Do Da Gp Du Fr kgbr

15 110 25 90 B <1h 0.20,7

1 2 N 270.82 0.86 1 1 1 1RWL 10,05

A M( 18 45)Age group M(<18 >45)STLI 2,69

Exposure to manual handling risk

9y)

p g

678

per d

ay field worker  

456

(hou

rs  tractor driver 

cellar operator

234

duties  cellar operator

storage‐room 

01

ifthing

 

operator

jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec

l

month

Worker averageCLICLI

field worker 2.72

tractor driver 1.50tractor driver 1.50

Winery worker 1 20Winery worker 1.20

Store worker 1.85

Worker Activity/Task STLI

Field Worker Harvest (carrying box of grapes) 3.5

Winery worker Decanting (lifting of dry wine) 2.8

Tractor Driver Machineries loading with ballast 4.4

Tractor Driver Lifting and moving of bags and 2 8Tractor Driver field materials 2.8

Storeman Lifting and moving heavy loads 2.3

Winery worker Moving of barriques 4.9

CLI STLICLI STLI Risk levelRisk level ActionAction

< 0.85 Negligible None

> 0.85 Attention level

Perform periodical medical inspections

> 1 Action Immediately reduce exposure> 1 level Prevent exceeding this level again

> 3 Maximum exposure level Stop exposure

ConclusionsConclusions

The most critical risk profiles in the vine-growing sector wereg grelated to (mainly seasonal) workers employed in thevineyard, grape harvesting, as well some cellar operations(b i ) Thi ft l d t STL I d ll b(barriques). This often led to average STL Indexes well abovethe Action level recommended, and even beyond themaximum exposure levelmaximum exposure level.

Less than 50% of the farms were applying periodical medicalinspections, also a clear indication of how much the problemwas still being underestimated.

ThanksThanks forfor youryourattentionattentionattentionattention