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Assessing the Impact of Work Activities on the Physiological Load in a Sample of Loggers in Sicily (Italy)

Author

Listed:
  • Federica Masci

    (Department of Health Sciences, International Centre for Rural Health of the Santi Paolo e Carlo ASST of Milan, University of Milan, 20142 Milano, Italy
    Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA)

  • Giovanna Spatari

    (Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy)

  • Sara Bortolotti

    (University of Milan, 20122 Milano, Italy)

  • Concetto Mario Giorgianni

    (Department of Biomedical, Dental and Morphological and Functional Imaging, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy)

  • Laura Maria Antonangeli

    (University of Milan, 20122 Milano, Italy)

  • John Rosecrance

    (Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA)

  • Claudio Colosio

    (Department of Health Sciences, International Centre for Rural Health of the Santi Paolo e Carlo ASST of Milan, University of Milan, 20142 Milano, Italy)

Abstract

Occupational logging activities expose workers to a wide range of risk factors, such as lifting heavy loads, prolonged, awkward positioning of the lower back, repetitive movements, and insufficient work pauses. Body posture has an important impact on the level of physiological load. The present study involved a group of 40 loggers in the province of Enna (Sicily, Italy) with the aim of defining the impact of logging activities on the workers’ physiological strain during the three primary work tasks of felling, delimbing, and bucking. The Zephyr Bioharness measurement system was used to record trunk posture and heart rate data during work tasks. The NASA TLX questionnaire was used to explore workers’ effort perception of the work tasks. Based on our results, the most demanding work task was tree felling, which requires a higher level of cardiac cost and longer periods spent in awkward trunk postures. The perceived physiological workload was consistently underestimated, especially by the more experienced loggers. Lastly, as the weight of the chainsaw increased, the cardiac load increased.

Suggested Citation

  • Federica Masci & Giovanna Spatari & Sara Bortolotti & Concetto Mario Giorgianni & Laura Maria Antonangeli & John Rosecrance & Claudio Colosio, 2022. "Assessing the Impact of Work Activities on the Physiological Load in a Sample of Loggers in Sicily (Italy)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:13:p:7695-:d:846006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lars-Kristian Lunde & Markus Koch & Kaj Bo Veiersted & Gunn-Helen Moen & Morten Wærsted & Stein Knardahl, 2016. "Heavy Physical Work: Cardiovascular Load in Male Construction Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Federica Masci & Giovanna Spatari & Concetto Mario Giorgianni & Elisa Pernigotti & Laura Maria Antonangeli & Vittorio Bordoni & Alberto Magenta Biasina & Luca Pietrogrande & Claudio Colosio, 2021. "Hand-Wrist Disorders in Chainsaw Operators: A Follow-Up Study in a Group of Italian Loggers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-11, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luboš Staněk & Václav Mergl, 2024. "Effect of the body mass index and length of work on the stress of individual body parts of chainsaw operators," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(8), pages 436-445.
    2. Marta Regina Cezar-Vaz & Daiani Modernel Xavier & Clarice Alves Bonow & Jordana Cezar Vaz & Letícia Silveira Cardoso & Cynthia Fontella Sant’Anna & Valdecir Zavarese da Costa, 2022. "Domains of Physical and Mental Workload in Health Work and Unpaid Domestic Work by Gender Division: A Study with Primary Health Care Workers in Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-23, August.

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