Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers

Farm work is hard work, and farm workers feel the results. Farm workers get backaches and pains in the shoulders, arms, and hands more than any other health problem. A third of the injuries that cause them to miss work are sprains and strains, and a quarter are back injuries. These are also the most common causes of disability.

The technical term for these sprains and strains is “work-related musculoskeletal disorders” (WMSDs). WMSDs hurt! They hurt:

• workers’ bodies
• workers’ earnings
• growers’ profits

Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers [PDF – 1,521 KB]