The Magnitude of Fatigue Recorded in Individual Body Parts of Chainsaw Operators after Work

Abstract

The work of chainsaw operators in the forest environment is a hazardous activity associated with great physical effort, inappropriate posture and significant strain on individual body parts. The aim of this study was to gather and evaluate data on the fatigue of individual body parts of professional chainsaw operators felling trees in the forest. The research focused on twelve body parts (eight in the upper half and four in the lower half of the body), each divided into the right and left parts. Based on the questionnaire method, 170 professional chainsaw operators working in the Czech Republic participated in this research. The questions in the questionnaire were divided into two sections, and the answers were used to draw diagrams that were consecutively analysed and quantitatively characterised based on descriptive statistics. The research results indicated that the most stressed part of the operator’s body at the end of a shift was the lumbar region. The second most stressed body parts were the wrist and hands. In contrast, the neck was the least stressed part of the operator’s body.

Improvement of the occupational risk management process in the work safety system of the enterprise

“…The main hazard that causes injury is a tree ( 48 ). A hazardous event is a falling tree, and the consequences can be injuries of varying severity to the logger’s musculoskeletal system ( 49 ). Loggers working outdoors are exposed to a number of different HFs, such as strong wind, inappropriate technical equipment (e.g., personal protective equipment), hygienic hazards [vibration ( 49 ), noise ( 50 )], ergonomic hazards—unnatural or uncomfortable working position ( 48 , 51 ), human factors—psychological inconsistency or health problems.…”

Forestry Ergonomics Publications in the Last Decade: A Review

“…Landekić et al [57] stated that workers employed by a state-owned company have a higher prevalence of MSD symptoms in almost all anatomical locations compared to chainsaw operators employed by private forest contractors. According to Staněk et al [58] the most stressed part of the chainsaw operator's body at the end of a shift was the lumbar region. In addition to obvious forest operations, forest measurement work can affect the development of MSD symptoms, as stated in a Brazilian study [59] where the activities of rigorous volume determination and soil collecting have been considered as having great risk of developing MSDs.…”