Workload during walking motion in pine resin harvesting in Java's plantation forest
2004
Takimoto, Y. (Shimane Univ., Matsue (Japan). Faculty of Life and Environmental Science) | Yovi, E.Y. | Matsubara, C.
In this research, we analyzed workload during walking in a pine resin harvesting operation in a plantation forest in Java, Indonesia in February-March 2003. This operation provides the raw material for rosin and turpentine oil production. We measured the number of footsteps and EE (energy expenditure, which was converted from heart rate) as workload indicators. A time study was also conducted as a supporting analysis. We examined the influences of loading and topography on the workload throughout walking tests and actual working observations. The loading, treatments were walking as L (loaded) and walking as E (empty). The walking slopes were U (uphill), F (flat), and D (downhill). Subjects were three workers of different age categories (<18, 18-56, >56 years of age). Results of walking tests showed that EE in L (of U, F, and D) were higher (0.099-0.2029 kcal/kg/min) than that in E (0.0327-0.0764 kcal/kg/min). The means of EE at F (of L and E) were the lowest (0.0327-0.1201 kcal/kg/min). The number of footsteps showed a similar, but not identical, tendency to EE: 195-238 steps for L (of U, F, and D), but only 188-227 steps for E. The results of actual working observations also showed a similar tendency. There was a positive correlation between weight increments, and EE increments, and between ground slope and EE. We concluded that EE of walking during pine resin harvesting is influenced by both loading factors and the topography (slope) of the area.
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