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Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 25433

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Federica Caffaro

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Department of Education, University of Roma Tre, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: sustainable work systems; human-centred design; sustainable behaviors; innovation acceptance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Eugenio Cavallo

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Institute of Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Energy and Mobility (STEMS) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), Strada delle Cacce 73, 10135 Torino, Italy
Interests: agriculture; innovation; sustainability; soil management; natural resources; occupational safety and health; ergonomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Margherita Micheletti Cremasco

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Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Turin, Italy
Interests: anthropology; anthropometry; ergonomics; human variability; human performance; health and safety; biomechanical overload

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The agricultural and forestry sectors are facing the challenge of achieving a more sustainable future, in terms of an adequate balance between the protection of the environment and agricultural growth, to secure safe and healthy food for a growing population. Occupational safety and health (OSH) play a major role in increasing competitiveness and productivity, but they also have a remarkable impact on the enhancement of environmental and social issues. However, in practice, the sustainability perspective has often focused more on environmental and economic concerns, leaving key social and workplace aspects, such as OSH, underemphasized, or completely overlooked.

Farmers, foresters, farm and forestry workers, and food, fiber and feed industry workers constantly operate potentially hazardous machinery and tools, manipulate toxic chemicals, and work in an extremely variable and risky biophysical environment. In such challenging conditions, a new OSH perspective, which focuses on human variability and human performance in the interaction with machinery, equipment, and environment, is needed. Proactive approaches to workplace safety risk identification, management and prevention, participatory and advanced IT safety training methods, and workplace innovations (both technical and nontechnical) can all contribute to the design of a safer and more sustainable farm and forestry labor system.

Papers addressing these topics are invited for this Special Issue, especially those dealing with new human-centered approaches to risk assessment and management in agricultural and forestry systems, including those related to animal husbandry and the food, fiber, and feed industries, which consider not only individual actions, but also the work, group, organizational, and system levels. Papers are expected to combine high academic standards with a practical perspective on the improvement of OSH in the area of interest of this Special Issue.

Dr. Federica Caffaro
Dr. Eugenio Cavallo
Prof. Dr. Margherita Micheletti Cremasco
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

agriculture
forestry
occupational safety and health
risk assessment/management
human factors/ergonomics
sustainable work systems
workforce variability
prevention through design
human–machinery interaction
work system innovation

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Incidence Rates of Agricultural Machine-Related Injuries in South Korea

by Kyungsu Kim, Hyocher Kim, Minji Lee, Wongeon Jung and Dongphil Choi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15588; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315588 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1828

Abstract

Although agricultural machines are the leading cause of agricultural injury, there are few comparative studies on the injury risks associated with different types of agricultural machines. Therefore, we compared the injury rates and risks of various agricultural machine types in South Korea using data from comprehensive agricultural machine insurance, which is partially paid for by the government. Specifically, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using 2014–2019 data on subscriptions and 2014–2020 data on compensation for personal bodily injury from comprehensive agricultural machine-related insurance coverage. We calculated the agricultural machine-related injury rate for each machine type and analyzed the factors affecting the injury using logistic regression. Between 2014 and 2020, 2061 recorded agricultural machine-related injuries occurred for 338,418 comprehensive agricultural machinery insurance subscriptions. The annual average number of injuries per 1000 agricultural machines was 6.1, showing an annual increase. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of injury increased with age, which was 2.3 times higher for tillers and power carts than for tractors. There is thus a need for legal safety measures, particularly related to high-risk agricultural machines (e.g., power tillers) and individuals (e.g., older drivers), as well as specific driving licenses and regular inspections of agricultural machinery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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12 pages, 2616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Heat Stress Levels Inside Greenhouses during Summer in Korea

by Wongeon Jung and Hyocher Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12497; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912497 - 30 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1204

Abstract

Farmers working inside greenhouses during summer are at risk of heat-related illness. In this study, we compared the dry-bulb temperatures (DTs) and the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index inside and outside greenhouses. We then determined the criteria for appropriate working and resting times inside greenhouses. The measurements were performed during the hottest period in 2020 and 2021 for two greenhouses, representative of those commonly found in rural areas. A direct-reading WBGT index meter was used for these measurements, and Automated Synoptic Observing System (ASOS) data were used to obtain regional DT data. DTs inside the greenhouses were significantly higher than the ASOS DTs (p < 0.001). In addition, the August WBGT index inside was significantly higher than that outside the greenhouses (p < 0.001). We found that the temperature during the period between 08:00 and 19:00 exceeded the international threshold of 28 °C for heat-acclimatized workers performing moderate-intensity work, above which heat stress becomes a concern. Our results revealed that the thermal index inside can be significantly higher than that found outside greenhouses. Therefore, when work is required inside greenhouses during the summer, stricter standards and safety measures should be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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14 pages, 11816 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving Tractor Safety: A Comparison between the Usability of a Conventional and Enhanced Rear-Mounted Foldable ROPS (FROPS)

by Lucia Vigoroso, Federica Caffaro, Margherita Micheletti Cremasco and Eugenio Cavallo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610195 - 17 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2049

Abstract

Tractor rollover is the main cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries in agriculture. The foldable rollover protective structure (FROPS) can help to prevent these injuries. However, in many cases, the FROPS is left in a folded-down position. Human factor and rear-mounted FROPS technical characteristics influence operators’ behavior in roll-bar handling. To improve the FROPS’s comfortable use, the prototype of an enhanced handling system was developed, and its usability was tested and compared with a conventional FROPS. Usability was assessed with 93 novice tractor users through an ad hoc questionnaire (investigating perceived effort, time demand, the posture adopted and satisfaction) and observations (investigating effectiveness and efficiency) during lowering and raising tasks. For both tasks, the participants perceived significantly less effort, less physical discomfort, a higher level of satisfaction and less time demand while operating the enhanced FROPS. Observations showed that the critical issues that emerged for the conventional FROPS were eliminated by adopting the developed and implemented handling system. The developed handling system showed itself to be usable and effective in making the FROPS easier and safer to be operated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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12 pages, 1517 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Evolution of Social Networks: A Ten-Year Longitudinal Analysis of an Agricultural, Fishing and Forestry Occupational Health Research Center

by Melissa B. Scribani, Pamela J. Tinc, Erika E. Scott, Julie A. Sorensen, Nancy H. Tallman and Anne M. Gadomski

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 12889; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182412889 - 07 Dec 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1737

Abstract

As part of our evaluation of the NIOSH-funded Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (NEC), we present methodology, findings and the potential implications of a sequential social network analysis (SNA) conducted over ten years. Assessing the effectiveness of the center’s scientific projects was our overarching evaluation goal. The evaluation design employed SNA to (a) look at changes to the center’s network over time by visualizing relationships between center collaborators annually, (b) document collaborative ties and (c) identify particularly strong or weak areas of the network. Transdisciplinary social network criteria were applied to the SNA to examine the collaboration between center personnel, their partners and the industry groups they serve. SNA participants’ perspectives on the utility of the SNA were also summarized to assess their interest in ongoing SNA measures. Annual installments of the SNA (2011–2020) showed an expansion of the network with a 30% increase in membership from baseline, as well as an increase in total relational ties (any type of contact). SNA measures also indicated significant increases in co-publication, cross-sector and transdisciplinary ties. Overall, SNA is an effective tool in visualizing and sustaining an occupational safety and health research and outreach network. Its utility is limited by how ties are characterized, grant cycle timeframes and how SNA metrics relate to productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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22 pages, 5204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Machinery Safety and Ergonomics: A Case Study Research to Augment Agricultural Tracklaying Tractors’ Safety and Usability

by Davide Gattamelata, Leonardo Vita and Mario Fargnoli

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(16), 8643; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168643 - 16 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2406

Abstract

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in agricultural activities is an issue of major concern worldwide notwithstanding the ever stricter regulations issued in this sector. In particular, most accidents are related to the use of tractors and the main causes of this phenomenon are due to the lack of rollover protective structures (ROPSs). This happens especially when tractors are used in particular in-field operations that are characterized by limited clearances between tractor and crop rows so that farmers usually use tractors without ROPS (e.g., dismounting it). To solve such a problem, foldable protective structures (FROPSs) have been proposed, which should augment the operator’s protection. However, FROPS’s conventional solutions underestimate the operators’ risk-taking behavior and the widespread misuse of FROPS due to the efforts needed to operate it. The current study aims at contributing to the improvement of the latter issue proposing the development of a novel approach for the implementation of partial assistance systems (PASs) that can reduce the physical effort of the operator when raising/lowering the FROPS. The proposed methodology, which is based on a reverse engineering approach, was verified by means of a practical case study on a tracklaying tractor. Results achieved can contribute to expanding knowledge on technical solutions aimed at improving the human-machinery interaction in the agricultural sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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11 pages, 2046 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hand-Wrist Disorders in Chainsaw Operators: A Follow-Up Study in a Group of Italian Loggers

by Federica Masci, Giovanna Spatari, Concetto Mario Giorgianni, Elisa Pernigotti, Laura Maria Antonangeli, Vittorio Bordoni, Alberto Magenta Biasina, Luca Pietrogrande and Claudio Colosio

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7217; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147217 - 06 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2041

Abstract

Despite the mechanization process implemented in arboriculture, logging tasks are still manually performed by chainsaw operators, which therefore are exposed to the risk of developing hand-wrist musculoskeletal disorders. Our research aimed to: (a) define whether the slight changes observed in 2017 showed an evolution to overt diseases; (b) study some risk determinants for these diseases such as age, working experience, and performing a secondary job. We recruited in a two-year follow-up study, 38 male forestry workers performing logging tasks employed in the Sicilian Forestry Department located in Enna. All the subjects underwent: (1) personal data collection; (2) administration of questionnaire addressed at upper limbs symptoms with a hand chart; (3) physical examination of the upper limbs, including Tinel’s and Phalen’s maneuvers; (4) ultrasound investigation of the hand-wrist area. In the two-year follow-up study we registered an overall increasing in wrist disorders, thus we can assume that forestry workers may be a target population for wrist diseases and deserve a particular attention in workers’ health surveillance programs. Interestingly, the prevalence of wrist-hand disorders resulted to be higher in younger workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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16 pages, 4874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Absorption in Actual Tractor Rollovers with Different Tire Configurations

by Enrico Capacci, Bruno Franceschetti, Andrew Guzzomi and Valda Rondelli

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6517; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126517 - 17 Jun 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2104

Abstract

In order to better understand the complexities of modern tractor rollover, this paper investigates the energy absorbed by a Roll-Over Protective Structure (ROPS) cab during controlled lateral rollover testing carried out on a modern narrow-track tractor with a silent-block suspended ROPS cab. To investigate how different tractor set-ups may influence ROPS and energy partitioning, tests were conducted with two different wheel configurations, wide (equivalent to normal ‘open field’ operation) and narrow (equivalent to ‘orchard/vineyard’ operation), and refer to both the width of the tires and the corresponding track. Dynamic load cells and displacement transducers located at the ROPS-ground impact points provided a direct measurement of the energy absorbed by the ROPS cab frame. A trilateration method was developed and mounted onboard to measure load cell trajectory with respect to the cab floor in real-time. The associated video record of each rollover event provided further information and opportunity to explain the acquired data. The narrow tire configuration consistently subjected the ROPS cab frame to more energy than the wide tire arrangement. To better evaluate the influence of the ROPS cab silent-blocks in lateral rollover, static and dynamic tests were performed. The results confirm that tires influence the energy partition significantly and that further understanding of silent-blocks’ dynamic performance is warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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18 pages, 357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Broadening Our Understanding of Farm Children’s Risk Exposure by Considering Their Parents’ Farming Background

by Florence Becot, Casper Bendixsen, Kathrine Barnes and Josie Rudolphi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(10), 5218; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18105218 - 14 May 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2632

Abstract

While farm safety researchers have seldom considered the association between farm parents’ background and their children’s safety, researchers who have compared first- and multi-generation farmers have found differences that may shape safety outcomes. We draw on the farm safety and family farm bodies of literature and a survey of 203 United States farm parents to assess the role of farming background in farm children risk exposure. Exploratory in nature, the bivariate analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between first- and multi-generation farmers in children injury, agricultural safety perceptions, knowledge, and practices but revealed differences in key demographic characteristics and parenting styles. A range of factors likely explain these findings with meso- and macro-level factors likely impacting farm parents’ ability to adopt safety practices. In contrast to the emphasis on knowledge and behaviors, we call for the integration of lived realities in farm safety research and to do so in a way that connects realities and choices to larger contexts. We also call on the need to expand the toolkit of interventions to address meso- and macro-level factors. A shift towards addressing social and economic conditions in agriculture could reduce farm children’s injuries while supporting the sustainability of farm labor systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

20 pages, 2028 KiB

Open AccessArticle

NOSACQ-50 for Safety Climate Assessment in Agricultural Activities: A Case Study in Central Italy

by Mario Fargnoli and Mara Lombardi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(24), 9177; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249177 - 08 Dec 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3465

Abstract

Safety climate assessment has been recognized as a powerful tool to bring to light workers’ perceptions related to safety practices, attitudes and behaviors at the workplace. Accordingly, its investigation can provide useful information about safety problems within a company before accidents occur. In literature, numerous studies can be found investigating safety climates in different types of industry. However, safety climate assessment in agricultural activities is addressed scarcely, even though agriculture represents a very hazardous sector. To reduce this gap, the present study proposes an investigation of safety climate among farmers by means of the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50). The results of the survey brought to light a low level of safety perception of the interviewed sample, especially as concerns safety commitment and risk-taking attitudes. In particular, a different attitude toward safety issues has been registered depending on both the position and gender of the interviewed farmers. Overall, the output of this cross-sectional analysis adds to the current literature by expanding knowledge of safety climate among farmers, representing a baseline for further investigations based on human-centered approaches to enhance safety in agriculture and consequently social and workplace aspects of sustainable agricultural systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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Review

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23 pages, 591 KiB

Open AccessReview

Innovating Occupational Safety Training: A Scoping Review on Digital Games and Possible Applications in Agriculture

by Lucia Vigoroso, Federica Caffaro, Margherita Micheletti Cremasco and Eugenio Cavallo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1868; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041868 - 15 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4055

Abstract

Digital games have been successfully applied in different working sectors as an occupational safety training method, but with a very limited application in agriculture. In agriculture and other productive sectors, unintentional injuries tend to occur with similar dynamics. A literature review was carried out to understand how occupational risks are addressed during game-based safety training in different productive sectors and how this can be transferred to agriculture. Literature about “serious game” and “gamification” as safety training methods was searched in WEB OF SCIENCE, SCOPUS, PUBMED and PsycINFO databases. In the forty-two publications retained, the computer was identified as the most adopted game support, whereas “points”, “levels”, “challenges” and “discovery” were the preferred game mechanics. Moreover, an association can be detected between the game mechanics and the elements developed in the game. Finally, during the game assessment, much positive feedback was collected and the games proved to be able to increase the operators’ skills and safety knowledge. In light of the results, insights are provided to develop an effective, satisfying and engaging safety game training for workers employed in agriculture. Games can be best used to learn and they are certain to improve over the next few years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Safety and Health for Sustainable Agricultural and Forestry Systems)

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