Work efficiency and physical workload during the manual debarking of Scotch pine trees

ABSTRACT

A field-based study was carried out to determine the working conditions, productivity and physical workload of forestry workers equipped with debarking spades and axes in Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in eastern Turkey. A work-cycle time prediction model was developed for the debarking of Scotch pine trees. It was found that the average debarking cycle times were 6.92 ± 2.29 min for the debarking spade and 7.17 ± 1.87 min for the ax when diameter class was not taken into account. The log-diameter class had a significant effect on the debarking time (min/cycle) for both debarking tools. The average physical workload (% heart-rate reserve) of the workers was 45.53 and 48.38% for the debarking spade and ax, respectively. Both values were classed as heavy workload intensity. There was a significant difference between debarking by spade and by ax on the physical workload of the workers at the p < 0.05 level. These results indicate that when debarking spades were used, workers were exposed to less physical workload during manual debarking.

KEYWORDS:

• Bark peeling
• productivity
• heart rate
• physical strain

Acknowledgements

I want to thank Mr. Ferhat Altun for his support, as well as the workers who participated in the field trials. I also want to thank Mr. Temel Sariyildiz, Mr. A. Emin Akay and Mr. A. Oguz Altunel for their valuable comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).