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<dc>
   <title>Smaller loads reduce risk of back injuries during wine grape harvest</title>
   <creator> James M. Meyers</creator>
   <creator>John A. Miles</creator>
   <creator>Julia Faucett</creator>
   <creator>Fadi Fathallah</creator>
   <creator>Ira Janowitz</creator>
   <creator>Rhonda Smith</creator>
   <creator>Ed A. Weber</creator>
   <date>2006</date>
   <description>Hand-harvest work in wine grape vineyards is physically demanding and exposes workers to a variety of ergonomics risk factors. Analysis of these exposures together with data on
      reported work-related injuries points to the risk of back injury as a prevention priority, in particular the lifting and carrying of tubs of cut grapes (weighing up to 80 pounds) during harvest.
      Our study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention — the use of a smaller picking tub — on the incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms among workers during two harvest seasons. Reducing the
      weight of the picking tub by 19% (to below 50 pounds) resulted in a five-fold reduction in workers’ post-season musculoskeletal symptom scores, without significant reductions in productivity.</description>
   <subject>wine grape workers</subject>
   <subject>ergonomics</subject>
   <subject>spinal loads</subject>
   <subject>musculoskeletal disorders</subject>
   <subject>back injury</subject>
   <subject>wine grape harvest</subject>
   <subject>wine grape hand harvest</subject>
   <type>pdf</type>
</dc>
