Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to quantify the physical exertion during tree planting work and to examine the relationships between exertion, task efficiency, and productivity.MethodsHeart rate (HR) was monitored on 34 tree planters while they worked. HR data was collected for a complete working day on 19 subjects and for shorter periods of time on 15 subjects. Video of work tasks was recorded on 22 subjects (video was recorded on 7 of the subjects for whom HR was monitored through a full working day) and analyzed for working pace and proportion of time spent on each task.ResultsHR during a full day (9.0 ± 1.2 hours) of tree planting work was 115.2 ± 8.8 beats.min-1, and working HR was 128.2 ± 15.6 beats.min-1 for 82.5 ± 6.8% of the work day. Mean work pace was 452 ± 174 trees.h-1, and the proportion of time spent planting each tree was 53 ± 8% of the working time. Significant (P < 0.05) positive correlations were found between work pace and experience level, and between work pace and working HR, and a significant (P < 0.05) negative correlation was found between experience level and HR for a given work pace. No significant relationships were found between experience level or work pace and the proportion of time spent planting each tree.ConclusionsTree planters work at approximately 65% of age-predicted HRmax, and maintain HR at approximately 59% of HRmax throughout the entire working day. Productivity in these workers appears to be related to effort rather than to experience or task efficiency per se.
Highlights
The purpose of this study was to quantify the physical exertion during tree planting work and to examine the relationships between exertion, task efficiency, and productivity
Some recent work has examined body composition changes [8], and physiological and biochemical stress [9] in these workers, leading to the generalized conclusions that tree planting is an occupation requiring high levels of physical exertion represented by working at 60 - 75% of HRmax for 57% of the working day [9], and long-term negative energy balance leading to weight loss [8]
A significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation of r = 0.50 was found between tree planting experience level and work pace (Figure 3), a significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation of r = 0.52 was found between work pace and working Heart rate (HR) (Figure 4), and a significant (P < 0.05) negative correlation of r = - 0.47 was found between work experience and HR / work pace (Figure 5)
Summary
The purpose of this study was to quantify the physical exertion during tree planting work and to examine the relationships between exertion, task efficiency, and productivity. Tree planting is typically piece work (work paid according to unit production - in this case on a per tree seedling basis) involving heavy lifting and walking over significant distances each day, and remote worksites with relatively primitive living conditions for the workers For these reasons it is often assumed that this work is physically and psychologically taxing, but relatively little data is available on the physical nature of this occupation or on the there has been a significant change in the silviculture industry (the reforestation and tending of new forests on an industrial basis) in Canada in the past two decades that has affected the physical nature of tree planting and the productivity of the workers, potentially making a significant difference to the occupational characteristics since the previous research was conducted. An examination of the productivity level, the physical exertion, and the efficiency of these workers has not been undertaken
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