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Toward Safer Crab Harvesting Environment: Sorting Table Height and Low Back Biomechanical Load During Crab Sorting
DescriptionIn Dungeness crab fishing, no recommendation or standard for crab sorting table height exists. Inappropriate table height can lead to awkward posture and thus increase low back injury risk. Therefore, this laboratory study aimed to evaluate the effects of sorting table height on low back load during simulated crab sorting tasks. Ten participants performed a simulated crab sorting task at three different sorting table heights: 39, 46, and 56 cm. Trunk flexion angle, lumbosacral (L5/S1) moment, and erector spinae muscle activity were measured. The results showed trunk flexion angles and L5/S1 moments were significantly reduced as table height increased from 39 to 56 cm (p < 0.001), while limited differences in erector spinae muscle activity were found. These findings suggest that crab sorting tables on Dungeness crab fishing vessels can be raised to reduce low back injury risk during crab sorting where feasible.
Event Type
Lecture
TimeThursday, September 12th8:30am - 8:50am MST
LocationFLW Salon H
Tracks
Occupational Ergonomics