women in agriculture: your body, your tools
TRANSCRIPT
Women in Agriculture: Your Body Your Tools
Kerri Ebert Kansas AgrAbility Project
K-State Research and Extension
Objectives
How women are involved in agriculture
Physical differences between women and men
Why those differences matter
Types of common injuries to women
Injury prevention strategies
Women in Agriculture
In 2012 Ag Census women farm operators represented 30% of total farm operators
Women principal operators were 14% of all principle operators
While total principal operators decreased between 2007 and 2012 the number of women age 65+ who are principal operators increased by 3%
Number of women who have been on their present farm for 10+ years increased by 6%
Female operated farms tend to be:
Smaller, fewer acres, lower sales
More diversified
Less mechanized
Adoptors of sustainable practices and/or organic producers
Involved in direct sales to consumers
Globally women produce more than half the food grown in the world and 60%-80% of the food in most developing countries
Women in Agriculture
Assumption: Women don’t work in dangerous professions
Women farm; farming is dangerous
Tend to be older than male operators
Tend to perform multiple roles in the family: homemaker, child care, off-farm job, caregiver, and farm tasks
Third shift phenomenon
Stress impacts health
Our Bodies are Significantly Different from Men’s Bodies
40-75% less upper body strength
5-30% less lower body strength
Smaller stature (avg. female is 5” shorter than avg. male)
More fat tissue
Narrower shoulders
Wider hips
Proportionally shorter legs & arms
Smaller grips, grip strength 50-67% that of males
Greater flexibility
Lower center of gravity
Our Bodies are Significantly Different from Men’s Bodies
Menstrual cycles influence our bodies
Ligaments are more stretchy the week prior to period
Ligaments get more stiff at the onset of the period
Water retention may contribute to carpal tunnel symptoms
Knee joint angle is greater due to broader hips
13° in males, 18° in females
Knees under slightly more stress
Stature
Tools and workstations may not be designed for our frames
Strength
May play a role in injury cause or prevention
So…how do injuries happen?
Direct trauma
Acute injuries such as a trip & fall or intense pain when lifting something heavy
Indirect trauma
Chronic injuries such as back pain from milking cows twice a day for 25 years or numbness in your hand from years of using power tools
We will focus on chronic injuries or indirect trauma today.
Chronic Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries that result over time from a variety of factors
Tool/worksite design
Bodymechanics
Stress
Level of fitness
Prior injury
Chronic, musculoskeletal injuries have several names: RMI, RSI, CTD, WRMD
What happens in chronic injury?
Tissue irritation – muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs
Microtrauma – small tears in tissues
Production of scar tissue; like a blob of super glue
Irritation continues as long as activity continues
Results in: < flexibility < strength < function
Can lead to an acute injury or disability
Chronic Injury Examples
Rotator Cuff Tendinitis and Bursitis
Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow
Lower Back Pain
Bursitis in the knee (Carpet Layer’s Knee)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Ergonomics & Bodymechanics
Prevention is the key to being pain free
Ergonomics is matching the task and environment to the worker
Ergonomics & Bodymechanics
Prevention is the key to being pain free
Ergonomics is matching the task and environment to the worker
Bodymechanics is using your body to the best mechanical advantage
The good news is women tend to work smarter!
Examples of Bodymechanics
Lift with legs instead of back
Bend from the hips
Keep the object close to body
Keep spine in neutral posture
Use wide, scissored stance
Keep your nose between your toes
Test the load
Get help when needed
Examples of Bodymechanics
Lift with legs instead of back
Bend from the hips
Keep the object close to body
Keep spine in neutral posture
Use wide, scissored stance
Keep your nose between your toes
Test the load
Get help when needed
Ergonomics
Finding the best ‘fit’ between a worker and her job conditions
Goal is to create a safe, comfortable environment for the worker so she can be productive
Usually accomplished by redesigning tools or the work process
“Make the tool fit the person”
Ergonomic Tools
Tools make our lives easier on the farm
Ergonomics is not an inherent attribute of tools
Equipment and tools designed for men are not necessarily comfortable, safe, efficient, and easy to use for women!
To be ‘ergonomic’ a tool must:
Fit the user
Be easy to use
Improve comfort
Improve performance (including health and safety)
Risk Factors for Chronic Injuries
Awkward postures
High hand force
Highly repetitive motion
Repeated impact
Heavy, frequent, or awkward lifting
Moderate to high hand-arm vibration
A Risk Factor Becomes a Hazard When…
The duration of exposure gets longer
The work intensity increases
There are a combination of risk factors
Risk Factors
Awkward Postures – being in these positions for more than 2 hours total per day
Hands above head
Elbow above shoulder
Back bent forward more than 30 degrees
Neck bent more than 30 degrees
Squatting
Kneeling
Risk Factors
High Hand Force – more than 2 hours per day of:
Pinching 2 or more pounds weight or 4 or more pounds force
Gripping 10 or more pounds weight or force
Risk Factors
Highly Repetitive Motion – repeating the same motion every few seconds for more than 2 hours per day with:
Neck
Shoulders
Elbows
Wrists
Hands
Risk Factors
Repeated Impact – using hands or knees as a hammer
More than 10 times per hour
More than 2 hours per day
Risk Factors
Heavy, frequent, or awkward lifting – lifting objects more than:
75 lbs. once/day
55 lbs. more than 10 times/day
10 lbs. more than twice/minute for more than 2 hours per day
25 lbs. above shoulders, below knees, or at arms length more than 25 times/day
Risk Factors
Moderate to high hand-arm vibration –
Moderate = more than 30 minutes/day
High Level = more than 2 hours per day
Solutions
Practice good bodymechanics
Physical conditioning – stretching and strength training
Alter risky tasks as needed
Purchase ergonomic tools
Adapt existing tools to fit the user
Adapt the work environment
Solutions
Stretching and Strengthening Tips
Perform balance stretching; always stretch muscles on both sides of your body evenly
Avoid over-stretching. Never stretch to the point of pain or discomfort
Go slow. Always stretch slowly and evenly
Don’t bounce or jerk while stretching; use smooth, slow motions
Breathe. Flexibility exercises should be relaxing. Deep, easy, even breathing is key to relaxation.
Solutions
Use wheels to avoid carrying heavy objects
Raise or lower work benches to accommodate better posture
Choose spring loaded and/or self-adjusting tools (telescoping handles)
When possible automate tasks, such as bulk feeding; look for attachments for existing equipment
Automatic gates
Spinner knob for steering wheels
Solutions
Choose tools that:
Allow your joints to remain in neutral (non-twisted) position
Have grips or handles that comfortably fit your hands
Allow your back to remain as straight as possible
Are adjustable
Come in various sizes
Are custom made
Are as light as possible without compromising function
Minimize strain, lifting, etc.
Examples
DeltaHook Tractor Rapid Hitch
Mention of a particular product does not constitute recommendation or endorsement by AgrAbility or Kansas State University.
Fist Grip Garden Tools with Wrist
Stabilizer
Radius Garden Tools with curved
handle to encourage neutral
wrist posture