The Role of a New Harvest Platform in Alleviation of Apple Workers’ Occupational Injuries During Harvest

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-24
Author(s):  
Zhao Zhang ◽  
Zhaohua Zhang ◽  
Weijie Wang ◽  
Hu Liu ◽  
Zhiqun Sun
Keyword(s):  
Upper Limb ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Combined Method ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Seasonal Workers ◽  
Agricultural Safety ◽  
Ergonomic Analysis ◽  
The U.S

Abstract. Migrant seasonal workers manually harvest apples throughout the U.S. using ladders and buckets due to the care required for prevention of bruises and other physical damage. The motions associated with hand harvest have potential to cause musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, shoulder, and back/trunk. A prototype harvest platform was developed, aimed at alleviating occupational injuries and increasing harvest productivity by replacing ladders for reaching high apples. This study evaluated the activities of three harvest methods, i.e., conventional harvest (using ladders and buckets), harvest platform (for high apples only), and combined method (conventional harvest for low and middle apples and harvest platform for high apples) using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method performed by trained researchers. Postures/activities with RULA grand scores > 5 were categorized as awkward (causing occupational injuries); otherwise, they were considered comfortable (not leading to health issues). Experimental results demonstrated that awkward activities in conventional harvest were mainly related to the use of ladders. Activities with the harvest platform were comfortable due to the elimination of ladders and buckets. The combined method significantly decreased the workers’ time spent in awkward postures (from 64% with conventional harvest to 30% with the combined method) by eliminating awkward activities and increased the overall harvest productivity by approximately 40%. Apple growers and workers are therefore suggested to use the combined method to replace conventional harvest. Keywords: Agricultural safety, Apple harvest, Ergonomic analysis, Harvest platform, Migrant seasonal workers, Occupational injuries, Postures.

Serving Those That Serve

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Torrens Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Military Health ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The U.S

Since 1986, health promotion has had a place within the U.S. Department of Defense. Emphasizing the leading health indicators of Healthy People, the role of health promotion has continued to support the U.S. Armed Forces in perhaps one of the most challenging decades of wartime operations. Serving a sizable population with both typical and mission-related health issues, health promotion plays a critical role in maintaining and improving health. The purpose of this article is to highlight military health promotion by offering insight into the day-to-day life of a “boots on the ground” military health educator, reviewing the challenges and opportunities of working with a unique population. A summary of a variety of military specific initiatives is provided. Additionally, the article highlights the barriers and benefits to military health promotion. Last, the article concludes with a call to action to consider the role of all health educators in serving those that serve.

scholarly journals A Lifetime of Trauma: Mental Health Challenges for Higher Education in a Conflict Environment in Afghanistan

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Osman Babury ◽  
Fred Manwarren Hayward
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Higher Education ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Education Community ◽  
Policy Challenge

More than 30 years of war in Afghanistan have resulted in immense policy challenges to address the resulting mental health issues. The purpose of this policy analysis is to examine the potential role of higher education in addressing the pressing mental health problems in Afghanistan’s public universities and higher education institutions as a major policy challenge. We define and spell out the extent and nature of the mental health problems and policy issues involved, putting them in the context of students in a war environment. We discuss efforts by the leadership of the Ministry of Higher Education to respond to the physical damage of war and the resulting mental health crises in a setting of very scarce human and financial resources. We describe a system of higher education battered by years of war yet seeking to rebuild and raise quality even while the fighting continues. The conditions of the higher education system are described, as well as the scope, complexity and nature of mental health problems, and major challenges faced in trying to rebuild both the system and the lives of the higher education community. We spell out the immense challenges faced in rebuilding a system badly devastated by war while dealing with the tremendous human mental health toll experienced by its students, faculty, and staff. We conclude by setting out some possible directions, options and recommendations for responding to the mental health problems while recognizing the difficulties higher education faces in trying to respond to them.

Role of Nutraceuticals in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: A Review in the Indian Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-145
Author(s):  
Sheena Chhabra ◽  
Apurva Bakshi ◽  
Ravineet Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Scholarly Literature ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Immense Potential ◽  
Specific Health

Nutraceuticals have been around for quite some time. As the nomenclature suggests, they are placed somewhere between food (nutra-) and medicine (-ceuticals) in terms of their impact on human health. Researches have focused on the impact of various types of nutraceuticals on health, their efficacy in health promotion and disease prevention, and often on suitable uses of certain categories of nutraceuticals for specific health issues. However, we are still far from utilizing the immense potential of nutraceuticals for benefiting human health in a substantial manner. We review the available scholarly literature regarding the role of nutraceuticals in health promotion, their efficacy in disease prevention and the perception of nutraceuticals' health benefits by consumers. Thereafter we analyze the need for regulation of nutraceuticals and various provisions regarding the same.

The Role of Computer Modeling in Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Planning

1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1831-1840 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Roesner ◽  
E. H. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
System Modeling ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Combined Sewer Overflows ◽  
Sewer System ◽  
New Techniques ◽  
Hydraulic Simulation ◽  
Continuous Simulation ◽  
Combined Sewer ◽  
The U.S

Increased concern regarding water quality impacts from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the U.S. and elsewhere has emphasized the role of computermodeling in analyzing CSO impacts and in planning abatement measures. These measures often involve the construction of very large and costly facilities, and computer simulation during plan development is essential to cost-effective facility sizing. An effective approach to CSO system modeling focuses on detailed hydraulic simulation of the interceptor sewers in conjunction with continuous simulation of the combined sewer system to characterize CSOs and explore storage-treatment tradeoffs in planning abatement facilities. Recent advances in microcomputer hardware and software have made possible a number of new techniques which facilitate the use of computer models in CSO abatement planning.

Do You Get What You Measure? Research Opportunities Based on the Veterans Health Administration Experience

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Thibodeau ◽  
John Harry Evans ◽  
Nandu J. Nagarajan
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Delivery ◽  
Veterans Health Administration ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Performance Incentives ◽  
Healthcare Network ◽  
Similar Patient ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
The U.S

SYNOPSIS Starting in 1995, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) transformed a bureaucratic healthcare system into a performance-driven, patient-focused integrated healthcare network. The VHA's experience may offer lessons for private and public sector providers as the U.S. explores alternative healthcare delivery systems and payment methods. Similar patient-focused integrated systems are one of the hallmarks of the latest U.S. attempt to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. The use of performance incentives to promote cooperation and innovation is also central to both the VHA and the U.S. reform. This study reviews the VHA's experience with an eye to identifying issues and potential research avenues for accounting researchers interested in the role of accounting information for control, coordination, and organizational change.

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