title: Preliminary ergonomic evaluation of barn tasks in intensive swine production.
abstract: This exploratory pilot study analyses musculoskeletal symptoms and working exposures of intensive pig barn tasks. Methods included a questionnaire phase to gather information about workers' symptoms and video analysis to assess exposures during typical production tasks. Ninety-two percent of workers reported symptoms in the last 12 months in any body part; 58% reported interruption of work activities in the last 12 months. The task "moving dead pigs" exceeded 3400 N during 6 of 18 observations. Frequency of hand gripping and trunk bending >45 degrees were moderate to high in many tasks. These biomechanical exposures suggest a need for further study, particularly on interventions to limit bending, lifting, and repetitive gripping.
authors.affiliation: a Catherine Trask is affiliated with the Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA) , University of Saskatchewan , Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trask
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D000383:Agriculture; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013552:Swine; D055815:Young Adult