Ergonomic study of timber manual loading in forestry fomentation areas

Abstract

This study aimed to perform an ergonomic evaluation of the timber manual loading activity on rural properties, in order to quantify the risk of development of musculoskeletal injuries in the forestry workers and, from the standpoint of ergonomics, identify the existence of the labor precarious conditions. Data were collected in small forest properties, located in Minas Gerais, and 28 forest workers were sampled. For evaluation, the 3DSSPP (TM) software, from the University of Michigan, was used. The results showed that there is a great and imminent risk to the health of workers during the manual loading of short logs, regardless of the phase of the activity, outstanding the risk of injury to the joints of the upper limbs (wrists and shoulders), as well as the trunk and coxofemorals. The resulting injury risks, whatever the mass of the handled short logs is, are due to the combination of posture and handled load factors, generating compression forces on the L5-S1 disc of the vertebral column that can be six times greater than the recommended limit value. Thus, under an ergonomic approach, the activity is being developed in an extremely precarious manner, with consequent early professional disability and decreasing work life of the workers.