A study on the physical work load of farmers and dust conditions in the harvesting process of the chrysanthemums / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The physical work load of farmers and dust conditions in the harvesting process of chrysanthemums were investigated for two households (seven workers for A and three for B household, respectively) at mid March in 1984.<BR>The total working hours a day of each household were 3225 min (460 min as average per a worker) for A and 1954 min (652 min) for B, being allotted more times to males than females. However, all of the house keeping hours were carried out only by females.<BR>The intensity of each working load of farmers was not so heavy, as “light” and “moderately heavy” by Christesen's criteria and energy expenditure a day was calculated 2895-3604 kcal for males and 2155-2295 kcal for females.<BR>In this working process farmers were enforced to keep careful handling with chrysanthemums and fixed body posture for 4 to 6 hours a day. Particulary, the working posture of sorting and bundling chrysanthemums may cause over strained load to the muscle and joint of the lower back and legs.<BR>The dust concentrations of the sorting room were not so high. However, the farmers were exposed a large quantity of cilia of chrysanthemum leaves, calculated 37-259 pieces/cm<SUP>2</SUP> on the slide grass a day. The numbers of cilia varied with amounts of handling chrysathemums.<BR>It was suggested that the cilia of chrysanthemums may be the most important allergen to the immediate type of allergy of the chrysanthemum growers.