ملخص: The number of date-palms in the world should be considered in the order of several billions and the number of farmers engaged in their industry in Algeria,applying a comprehensive ergonomics approach. On a sample of thirteen experienced date-palm farmers, six standard field activities (soil digging,pollinating, balancing, pruning, covering and harvesting) were investigated from different angles, using "test-retest" methods. The major ergonomic interventions considered the design of new and the redesign of existing methods and handtools. The anthropometry (36 body dimensions) and some social factors of a sample of 589 date palm farmers taken from all date-palm regions was carried out. Ergonomic interventions in date-palm activities caused significant reductions in energy expenditure, in postural discomfort, in the frequency of awkward postures and in the time spent doing the tasks. Besides, they reduced significantly the effects of heat stress and helped in balancing the daily rates of energy intake and expenditure. Similarly, the descriptive study showed that there were significant inter- and intra-variations in body dimensions of farmers. Differences between Algerian farmers and farmers from other IDCs and DCs were also confirmed. In social life, farmers were found to have social problems almostilar to those reported in the literature for IDCs. Finally, the study showed that ergonomic interventions were beneficial even if applied to natural-made work places. However, more benefits were associated with work methods design or redesign rather than hand tool design or redesign.

طبعة: Birmingham: University of Birmingham
لغة: إنجليزية
الوصف المادي: 404 p. ill. ;30 cm
الشهادة: Ph.D
مؤسسة مناقشة الرسالة: Faculty of Engineering

ملاحظة: Bibliogr.pp.349-404; Annexe pp.I-XXXX