Ergonomic Evaluation of Winegrape Trellis Systems Pruning Operation
2006
The winegrape industry suffers from high incidence rates of work-related
musculoskeletal disorders. Pruning of dormant vines is a significant task, requiring long
periods of highly repetitive and physically demanding work. The purpose of this study is to
quantitatively evaluate five commonly used winegrape trellis systems with regard to the risk
of developing musculoskeletal injuries to the wrist and lower back while pruning. Eleven
subjects participated in this study. Subjects performed a simulated pruning task as wrist and
trunk postures were gathered using electrogoniometers. The results showed significant
postural differences among the trellis systems. Compared to the other systems, the VSP was
determined to be the optimal system in terms of decreasing relative MSD risk. These results
will assist vineyards in the selection process of suitable trellis systems that will include the
worker health aspect in conjunction with other trellis-related parameters such as grape
quality and productivity.
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