A proposed work/rest schedule for chain-saw operators

Abstract

The findings of a project completed in the summer of 1989 involving chain-saw operators employed by Valley Forest Products Ltd are presented.. The objectives of the project-are to determine the effect of heat and humidity on the energy expenditure of chain-saw operators; to determine the effect of walking through thick undergrowth and walking over heavy slash on the energy expenditure of chain-saw operators; and to determine the different energy expenditures and energy capacities of two age groups of chain-saw operators. Heart rate data was collected using a Seiko Pulsemeter for each chain-saw operator. In the winter of 1990, heart rate and work load data was collected for each chain-saw operator using a Polar Electro Sport Tester and a Monarch Bicycle Ergometer. A work/rest schedule for chain-saw operators was produced. It was concluded that chain-saw operators tend to work at energy levels less than 50 percent of their max VO 2. Also, traditional resting periods totalling 90 minutes for a typical & to 9 hour work day are adequate for chain-saw operators working in normal temperatures, whereas chain-saw operators working in high temperatures require additional resting periods. It is recommended that heart rate measurements be recorded for an entire working day while noting conditions such as terrain and weather conditions while the chain-saw operator is working. It is also recommended that equations be developed to calculate working and resting periods based on heart rate and work load data. Key Words: work/rest schedules, energy expenditure measurement, chain-saw operators