The Magnitude of Fatigue Recorded in Individual Body Parts of Chainsaw Operators after Work

Abstract

The work of chainsaw operators in the forest environment is a hazardous activity associated with great physical effort, inappropriate posture and significant strain on individual body parts. The aim of this study was to gather and evaluate data on the fatigue of individual body parts of professional chainsaw operators felling trees in the forest. The research focused on twelve body parts (eight in the upper half and four in the lower half of the body), each divided into the right and left parts. Based on the questionnaire method, 170 professional chainsaw operators working in the Czech Republic participated in this research. The questions in the questionnaire were divided into two sections, and the answers were used to draw diagrams that were consecutively analysed and quantitatively characterised based on descriptive statistics. The research results indicated that the most stressed part of the operator’s body at the end of a shift was the lumbar region. The second most stressed body parts were the wrist and hands. In contrast, the neck was the least stressed part of the operator’s body.