Postural Risk Assessment of Small-Scale Debarkers for Wooden Post Production

Raffaele Spinelli,Giovanni Aminti,Fabio De Francesco,Natascia Magagnotti

doi:10.3390/f9030111

Raffaele Spinelli, Giovanni Aminti + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/f9030111

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Abstract

The study sampled six representative work sites in Northern and Central Italy, in order to assess the risk for developing musculo-skeletal disease due to poor work posture (postural risk) among the operators engaged in semi-mechanized post debarking operations. Assessment was conducted with the Ovako Working posture Analysis System (OWAS) on 1200 still frames randomly extracted from videotaped work samples. The postural risk associated with post debarking was relatively low, and varied with individual operations based on their specific set up. Postural risk was higher for the loading station compared with the unloading station, which makes a strong argument for job rotation. The study suggested that the infeed chute of small-scale debarkers might be too basic and should be further developed, in order to reduce postural risk. Obviously, better machine design should be part of an articulate strategy aimed at decreasing the postural risk and based on proper worksite organization and specific worker training.

Highlights

For many decades, forest economy has been squeezed between decreasing product value and increasing labor cost, and this trend does not seem to be stopping any time soon—if at all
Economy of scale is the key to success, which conflicts with the decreasing size of many private forests as they get fragmented through heritage lines, often as part of the restitution process [1]
The analysis showed that the postural risk incurred by the two options was about the same (Table 6)

Summary

Introduction

Forest economy has been squeezed between decreasing product value and increasing labor cost, and this trend does not seem to be stopping any time soon—if at all. The classic solution is found in improving the efficiency of forest management, obtained by mechanizing operations through a considerable capital commitment. Against this background, economy of scale is the key to success, which conflicts with the decreasing size of many private forests as they get fragmented through heritage lines, often as part of the restitution process [1]. Many low-investment solutions have been proposed over time to increase labor productivity and yet small-scale technology cannot completely offset the efficiency gap with large-scale industrial operations [2]. Not all high-value products are niche products: in that regard, wooden posts represent a fortunate exception

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