Ergonomic Analysis of a Low-Cost Fresh Market Apple Harvest-Assist Unit

Abstract

AbstractManual apple harvest by seasonal migrant workers throughout the U.S. using ladder-bucket method. Though it is known that apple harvest would cause occupational injuries to workers, few studies have been conducted to quantify the levels of occupational injuries. Applying the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) method, this study comprehensively evaluated the harvest process by dividing it into different activities. To alleviate occupational injuries in apple harvest, a low-cost harvest-assist unit has been developed, and its performance on reducing occupational injuries was further evaluated. Experimental results showed that seven out of 11 activities in the ladder-bucket harvest method would lead to occupational injuries, and the adoption of ladders and buckets was mainly responsible for causing occupational diseases. It has been demonstrated that adoption of the harvest-assist unit for high level apples harvest would not result in occupational injuries. Using the combined method (conventional for low level apples + harvest-assist unit for high level apples) to harvest apples would significantly reduce the occupational injury potential by cutting down the uncomfortable time ratio from 64 to 29%. This study demonstrated that combining the conventional harvest method for low level apples and the harvest-assist unit for high level apples harvest would significantly reduce the potential of occupational injuries. Thus, the newly developed apple harvest-assist unit supplies a solution to apple growers to alleviate harvest employees’ occupational injuries.KeywordsAgricultural safetyFresh market appleHarvest-assistLow-costOccupational injuriesSeasonal workersErgonomic analysis