Agriculture is among the most dangerous occupations in Canada and the number of fatal injuries and hospitalization in agriculture is still very high despite increased mechanization. Machinery is the most important cause of injury in agriculture. Machinery can expose farmers to both whole-body vibration during operation and to risk of falls during egress. Although both of these hazards have been investigated individually, it is plausible that whole-body vibration impacts the risk of egress injury. Occupational whole-body vibrations have a number of effects on health and performance, and can adversely influence balance, coordination, and perception; all these can increase risk of falls from machinery. Understanding the effects of whole-body vibration on egress performance will allow for the development of preventive interventions that will ultimately enhance the health and economic productivity of Saskatchewan farmers. This study will investigate the effects of whole-body vibration on egress from agricultural vehicles by: 1) developing an agricultural tractor test paradigm for whole-body vibration and egress; and 2) conducting lab-based experiments comparing lower limb joint angles, standing balance stability, and foot pressure during egress before and after exposure to seated whole-body vibration.
The work will be conducted in at CCHSA's NAIHL-affiliated Ergonomics Lab under the supervision of Dr. Catherine Trask and Dr. Stephen Milosavljevic.
Dr. Behzad Bashiri awarded a SHRF Postdoctoral Fellowship
Dr. Behzad Bashiri has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. This two year award will support his project titled: "Shake and Break: The Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on Farm Machinery Egress"