July 17, 2012

Ergonomics in Pruning
July 17, 2012

Gina Vahlas, Ergonomist

Overview and Objectives

• Understand early signs and symptoms of
musculoskeletal injuries (MSI)
• Identify
f and assess potential risk factors
f
• Discuss risk factors control methods

Ergonomic (MSI) Requirements

4.53 Consultation

4.47 Risk
Identification
4.48 Risk
Assessment
4.50 Risk
Control
4.51 Education
& Training

4.52 Evaluation

Policy & Procedure

Ergonomics in Pruning 1
 July 17, 2012

What is an MSI?
• MSI = Musculoskeletal Injury
• Defined as an injury
j y or disorder of
the muscles, tendons, ligaments,
cartilage, nerves, blood vessels and
bursae
• Examples: carpal tunnel, back
strain, tendonitis

How MSIs Occur…

Excessive Force:
This type of injury can occur from a single event, where
the loads or forces are so great they exceed tissue
tolerances and cause an immediate injury.

Tissue Tolerance

INJURY
LOAD

TIME

How MSIs Occur…

Excessive Repetition:
This type of injury can occur from repeated loading,
weakening tissues to the point of failure. It progresses
slowly to the point where a small load can cause an
injury.

INJURY
LOAD

TIME

Ergonomics in Pruning 2
 July 17, 2012

How MSIs Occur…

Excessive Duration:
This type of injury can occur constant loading,
weakening tissue to the point of failure. This type of
j y is more common with tasks that require
injury q workers
to adopt static or awkward postures for extended
periods.
Tissue
Tolerance

LOAD INJURY

TIME

Early Intervention

Optimal Performance

Human Late Intervention Point

Performance Early Intervention Point

Discomfort Pain Injury

Possible Signs and Symptoms

• Pain, tingling, numbness
• Sore or stiff muscles and joints while
working or at the end of the day
• Limited movement
• Swelling, redness
• Weakness, tenderness

REPORT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS EARLY!

Ergonomics in Pruning 3
 July 17, 2012

What puts us at risk of MSIs?

Risk Factors
risk factors present = overall risk
• Awkward postures
• Poor working heights and excessive
reaches
• Wrist postures
• Repetition and Duration
• Per cycle / per day
• Force
• Vine pulling
• Closing loppers, pruning shears

Risk Factors
• Static loading
• Prolonged postures
• Local contact stress (direct pressure)
• Environmental factors
• Stress, psycho-social factors
• Lack of training / unaccustomed activities
• Pre-existing conditions

Ergonomics in Pruning 4
 July 17, 2012

Awkward Postures
• Back
• Neck
• Sh ld / Elb
Shoulders/ Elbows
• Wrists
• Legs

Discs and Vertebrae

Ergonomics in Pruning 5
 July 17, 2012

Awkward Postures – Back/ Neck

• Stooping combined
with lifting poses
extreme stresses on
the back
back.
• Stooping at a right
angle is the
equivalent of lifting a
30Kg. weight

Twisting the Trunk

• Twisting the trunk when
lifting increases the
stress on the discs of the
back
• Think basketball
• keep yourself square i.e.
hips and shoulders facing
in the same direction
• Pivot feet instead of
twisting

Awkward Postures - Shoulder

• Positions that move the
shoulder away from the
body
• Out to the side of the
body (abducted)
• In front of the body
(flexed)
• Behind the body
(extended)

Ergonomics in Pruning 6
 July 17, 2012

Awkward Postures – Wrist

Any position that is not straight

Awkward Postures - Wrist

Any position that is not straight

Repetition
• Repetitive movements
of specific muscle
gro ps o
groups over
er prolonged
periods
• With repetitive
movement, local muscle
fatigue can occur
quickly and there is little
time for recovery

Ergonomics in Pruning 7
 July 17, 2012

Force - Load Characteristics

• Which muscles are
applying the force?
• Distance from the trunk
• Vine pulling
• Grip force
• Load characteristics
• heavy or bulky?
• Contents likely to shift?
• Handling points on the load?
• Footing?

Static Loading
• Work undertaken by a muscle to support a
limb which is not moving
• Results in
• Increased fatigue
• Decreased circulation
• Increased intramuscular
pressure

Contact Stress

• Decrease circulation
• Decrease mobility
• Increase intramuscular pressure
• Prolonged constriction of joints
(i.e., back of the knees)
• Prolonged resting of tools within
the hand

Ergonomics in Pruning 8
 July 17, 2012

Environmental Conditions

• Temperature
• Ventilation / air quality
• Lighting
• Vibration

What
at ca
can you do to work
o
safely?

Risk Control
Eliminate or Minimize Risks
• Engineering controls
• Use a trellis with growth between
hip (of taller people) and shoulder
height (of shorter people)
• Have a variety of tools available
for different thicknesses of wood
as well as fit within hands
• Power tools
• Others…

Ergonomics in Pruning 9
 July 17, 2012

Various styles of tools –

not an endorsement

Paivinen, M., Haapalainen, M. and Mattila, M. (2000). Ergonomic design criteria for pruning shears.
Occupational Ergonomics, 2(3), 163-177.

Various styles of tools –

not an endorsement

Paivinen, M., Haapalainen, M. and Mattila, M. (2000). Ergonomic design criteria for pruning shears.
Occupational Ergonomics, 2(3), 163-177.

Risk Control
• Administrative controls
• Safe work procedures e.g. cut more tendrils
before pulling to reduce the force of the pull.
• Scheduled
S h d l d preventative
t ti ttooll maintenance
i t
• Alternate hard wood/ soft wood varieties,
pruning shears, loppers, electric tools
• Alternate pruning and pulling tasks
• Warm ups
• Micro breaks
• Education/ Training

Ergonomics in Pruning 10
 July 17, 2012

Work Practice Controls

• Stand as close as possible and
align shoulders, hips and feet
• Use hip flexion maintaining
S curve in spine
S-curve
• Keep wrists straight while
working
• Arms as close to the
body as possible

Ergonomic (MSI) Requirements

4.53 Consultation

4.47 Risk
Identification
4.48 Risk
Assessment
4.50 Risk
Control
4.51 Education
& Training

4.52 Evaluation

Policy & Procedure

For more information

• BC Wine Grape Council

www.bcwgc.org
• FARSHA http://www.farsha.bc.ca/
• WorkSafeBC www.worksafebc.com
For ergonomics, go to Safety at Work
by topic

Ergonomics in Pruning 11
 July 17, 2012

References
Hwang, J., Chang, J., Moon, S.K. and Freivalds, A. (2011). Design and assessment of ergonomics of hand-powered pruning
shears based on gender-specific operating strategy. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 55th
Annual Meeting. Pages 1671-1675.
Kato, A., Fathallah F., Miles, J., Meyers, J., Faucett, J., Janowitz, I., Garcia, E. (2006). Ergonomic evaluation of winegrape trellis
systems pruning operation. Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. 12(1), 17-28.
Meyers, J., Miles, J., Faucett, J., Janowitz, I., Tejeda, D., Eber, E., Smith, R., Garcia, L. (2000). CAL OSHA ergonomics
standards: What does it mean for vineyard y employers?
p y Practical Wineryy and Vineyard
y Journal,, May/June,
y ,
http://www.practicalwinery.com/mayjune00/calosa.htm.
Paivinen, M., Haapalainen, M. and Mattila, M. (2000). Ergonomic design criteria for pruning shears. Occupational Ergonomics,
2(3), 163-177.
Roquelaure, Y., Dano, C., Dusolier, G., Fanello, S. and Penneau-Fontbonne, D. (2002). Biomechanical strains on the hand-wrist
system during grapevine pruning. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 75, 591-595.
Roquelaure, Y., D’Espagnac, F., Delamarre, Y., and Penneau-Fontbonne, D. (2004). Biomechanical assessment of new hand-
powered pruning shears. Applied Ergonomics, 35, 179-182.
Wakula, J., Beckmann, T., Hett, M. and Landau, K. (2000). Ergonomic analysis of grapevine pruning and wine harvesting to
define work and hand tools design requirements. Occupational Ergonomics, 2(3), 151-161.
Vierra, T. (2005). Pruning without pain. Practical Winery and Vineyard Journal, January/February,
http://www.practicalwinery.com/janfeb05/janfeb05p26.htm.
University of Angers thesis, Chapter 4: Ergonomic analysis of the vine pruning activity. http://ead.univ-
angers.fr/~leest/IMG/pdf/7-P2c4thesis.pdf.
WorkSafeBC. Preventing Musculoskeletal Injury (MSI): A guide for employers and joint committees. WorkSafeBC, 2009.
http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/Health_and_Safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/msi_employers.pdf

Ergonomics in Pruning 12