The farrier's work environment

Abstract

The horse industry in Sweden has rapidly expanded in recent years. This increasing number of horses implies a greater need for more farriers. Shoeing a horse is hard physical work, and includes awkward work postures and repetitive movements. It is well known that hard physical work increases the risk of injuries and musculoskeletal problems. The risk is especially high for musculoskeletal disorders when certain movements are constantly repeated. Heavy or repeated unilateral loads lead to considerable stress on the muscles, which can lead to rupture and fatigue that can cause long term problems. A case study showed that farriers worked 75% of their work time with their backs in bent positions (often more than 70 degrees). Farriers are also exposed to risk factors in their physical environment like dust, noise and poor lighting. Risk of kicks and bites, eye injuries and burns are other factors that make their work environment hazardous. There are only a few studies available that have documented the farriers' working environment and these are not of recent date. A US study from 1984 described kicks and bites from horses, metal splinters in the eyes, heat exhaustion and problematic postures to be perceived as the greatest risks in their work. The back, knees and wrists were the most exposed body regions. There is a need for more current and in-depth studies investigating the farriers' working conditions in order to gain more knowledge of their health and work environment. The aim of the present study is to investigate the physical health and work environment of farriers. The investigation will use questionnaires, work load measurements and workplace analysis. The results will serve as a base for improvements concerning the design of the workplace, equipment, tools and aids as well as supplying recommendations about physical exercise and the correct work technique, etc. The results are planned to be incorporated in the education of farriers.

The Double-Sided Nature of Meaningful Work: Promoting and Challenging Factors within the Swedish Equine Sector

“…More than 1 million Swedes (10%) are regularly in contact with horses. The sector is complex and multifaceted, and covers many different types of activities each with their own culture and identity; e.g., sports and games, as well as leisure, recreation, and therapy [16]. The traditional production-oriented agriculture functions in the industry have been replaced by more consumption and serviceoriented components.…”

“…Work environment issues are a major concern for the industry, since it is a laborintensive sector involving long hours, a high physical workload, and low pay [16]. Despite that, research specifically on the working environment in the equine sector is limited [15].…”

“…The equine sector has not undergone the same technological development as in the agri-cultural sector, often due to factors such as economics and tradition. This means that the majority of the hard physical work in most horse stables is still performed manually, and the industry is one of the least-mechanized sectors in Sweden [16]. In addition, handling horses is hazardous, and the equine sector is considered a high-risk work environment [17].…”

“…However, the sector faces major challenges to recruit, above all, to retain trained and experienced staff (based on personal communication with managers in the sector), but activities that promote and maintain work meaningful are still lacking. These issues are of importance, as working with horses is demanding [15], labor-intensive [16], and hazardous [17].…”

Head and dental injuries among farriers and hoof care practitioners: A nationwide survey in Switzerland

“…Farriers' occupational hazards, which have been documented elsewhere, include but are not limited to animal kicks and bites, postural injuries, and ocular injuries from projectile objects. 4,5 According to a bulletin by the German Social Accident Insurance, on average, three out of 10 insured farriers suffer an occupational accident each year, with two out of 10 sustaining injuries so severe that they carry an obligation to report. 6 In Switzerland, 214 occupational accidents among farriers were reported to the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund from 2015 to 2019.…”