Machinery Safety and Ergonomics: A Case Study Research to Augment Agricultural Tracklaying Tractors’ Safety and Usability

Davide Gattamelata, Leonardo Vita and Mario Fargnoli
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Davide Gattamelata: Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Leonardo Vita: Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Mario Fargnoli: DIMA, Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in agricultural activities is an issue of major concern worldwide notwithstanding the ever stricter regulations issued in this sector. In particular, most accidents are related to the use of tractors and the main causes of this phenomenon are due to the lack of rollover protective structures (ROPSs). This happens especially when tractors are used in particular in-field operations that are characterized by limited clearances between tractor and crop rows so that farmers usually use tractors without ROPS (e.g., dismounting it). To solve such a problem, foldable protective structures (FROPSs) have been proposed, which should augment the operator’s protection. However, FROPS’s conventional solutions underestimate the operators’ risk-taking behavior and the widespread misuse of FROPS due to the efforts needed to operate it. The current study aims at contributing to the improvement of the latter issue proposing the development of a novel approach for the implementation of partial assistance systems (PASs) that can reduce the physical effort of the operator when raising/lowering the FROPS. The proposed methodology, which is based on a reverse engineering approach, was verified by means of a practical case study on a tracklaying tractor. Results achieved can contribute to expanding knowledge on technical solutions aimed at improving the human-machinery interaction in the agricultural sector.

Keywords: machinery safety; ergonomics; human behavior; agricultural tractors; roll-over protective structure (ROPS); partial assistance system (PAS); reverse engineering (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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