Using Ergonimics in the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Cumulative Trauma Injuries in Agriculture:

Cumulative traumatic disorders, or CTDs, are among the most pressing occupational health issues facing employers today. Research has identified the risk factors associated with CTDs and there is now a body of literature that supports the use of specific measures-ergonomic measures, as well as other control strategies-to reduce these injuries. To date, little work has been done on applying these principles to agriculture, although as an industry, it shares the known risk factors and job demands with other high risk settings that have successfully utilized this research literature. However, agricultural employers will soon be required to institute control strategies-and they are largely unprepared to initiate such strategies. This paper outlines the lessons gleaned from successful efforts and makes an argument for applying those lessons to agriculture.