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Visual communication allows to overcome language barriers in training. This issue is particularly relevant in agriculture where a high number of migrants with different languages, cultures and education are employed. This study aimed to design a new safety training material targeting migrant farmworkers in Italy by combining the principles of visual design with a User-Centred Design (UCD) approach. Focus groups with migrant farmworkers and with trainers were carried out to identify the users' needs and preferences about safety training material. Subsequently, the drafted material was discussed to identify the best solutions in terms of comprehensibility and visual pleasantness. Finally, were assessed through a questionnaire the knowledge of safety topics prior to the training (T0) and after it (T1), and effort in learning and satisfaction for the material (T1), both in a control and in an intervention group. The results showed that the intervention group reported higher safety knowledge at T1 compared to the control group. The study pointed out the effectiveness of the UCD approach when designing training materials for migrant farmworkers.

The use of certain agricultural machines equipped with parts driven by the power take off (p.t.o.), exposes the operators to the risk of catching and dragging, with dire consequences in case of accidents, which in most cases result in fatal injuries. Especially the round balers, chippers and the manure spreaders does not have, to date, effective ways to reduce these specific risks. The solutions available on the machine are numerous, but not resolutive and focused on the systems that are exclusively effective to protect the machine kinematic chain by any breakages. Infact, the torque levels reached for the actuation, are significantly higher than those needed to harm operators. In previous experiments, the research unit of the Florence University, had studied effective systems for decoupling of the transmission. These studies showed that to make effective a decoupler device was necessary to have an active safety, namely to ensure in rest conditions the transmission interruption. For these reasons, within the Promosic project, the Research Unit of Florence (UR-UniFi) based on their experiences, the device, represented by the electromagnetic clutch, has employed, as the only system capable of offering an active safety, replacing, however, the inefficient control system with two types of innovative sensors, which monitors the human presence, through detection of respiratory activity, or body temperature. The innovative aspect of this research is the implementation of a control device coupled to the electromagnetic clutch. An infrared device, with laboratory tests performed, was effectively applied on round balers and shredders machines. The tests performed by interposing the human limbs inside the sensor monitoring field, showed response times of 50 ns to 0.4 m distance. The results have shown the high potential of the developed system for transmission decoupling. Furthermore, its cheapness, makes it a feasible solution for every the agricultural machinery manufacturers to meet the requirements imposed by current safety regulation.

Presentazione dei dati di incidenti di lavoro in agricoltura, in particolare legati all'impiego di macchine, in relazione alle caratteristiche del sistema produttivo agricolo nazionale.

In Piemonte lavoratori immigrati rappresentano il 53.5% della forza lavoro non familiare (Media nazionale circa 25 %) Un fattore di rischio critico dei lavoratori immigrati riguarda la scarsa conoscenza della lingua italiana e quindi la conseguente difficoltà nella comprensione di tutta la comunicazione interna inerente la sicurezza (dai segnali di pericolo alle procedure, dalle istruzioni sul funzionamento di macchine o impianti all'etichettatura di prodotti chimici, e così via). Il D.Lgs 81/08, all'art. 36 afferma: "Il datore di lavoro provvede affinché ciascun lavoratore riceva una adeguata informazione (...) Il contenuto della informazione deve essere facilmente comprensibile per i lavoratori e deve consentire loro di acquisire le relative conoscenze. Ove la informazione riguardi lavoratori immigrati, essa avviene previa verifica della comprensione della lingua utilizzata nel percorso informativo." L'art. 37 del medesimo D.Lgs. stabilisce inoltre che "Il contenuto della formazione deve essere facilmente comprensibile per i lavoratori e deve consentire loro di acquisire le conoscenze e competenze necessarie in materia di salute e sicurezza sul lavoro. Ove la formazione riguardi lavoratori immigrati, essa avviene previa verifica della comprensione e conoscenza della lingua veicolare utilizzata nel percorso formativo (...)." Lo studio è realizzato mediante un approccio scientifico basato su un disegno di ricerca quasi sperimentale con gruppi di controllo non equivalenti e con valutazione ripetuta nel tempo (pre-intervento, post-intervento e follow up).

This study investigated the extent to which a sample of Italian users comprehended safety pictorials used on agricultural machinery. A questionnaire with 12 safety pictorials was administered to 248 users of agricultural machinery. For each of the pictorials, the participants were asked to select the most appropriate description of four written choices. The investigated safety pictorials were, in general, not well comprehended. Two different classes of participants were identified, each with a different level of comprehension. The participants with better comprehension were characterized by the regular use of agricultural machinery and frequent previous exposure to pictorials. The need for training courses focusing on safety pictorials and their meanings, as well as the need for improvement to the pictorials themselves to make them more easily comprehended, is discussed.

Aim of study: We tested the perceived quality in use of a prototype of a handling supporting device, developed through a user-centred design process intended for rear-mounted foldable rollover protective-structures (FROPSs).Area of study: The study was performed in the Province of Cuneo, which has the largest number of farms and the highest share of utilized agricultural area (UAA) in Piedmont Region, NW Italy.Material and methods: Three groups of users, novice-novice (NN), novice-expert (NE) and expert-expert (EE) were asked to raise two rear-mounted FROPSs: a traditional one and a second one equipped with a supporting device which consisted of a gas spring and a rod. A questionnaire has been used to record the perceived quality in use of both FROPSs (effort, physical discomfort, temporal demand and ease of use) and perceived usefulness and attitudes toward the adoption of the supporting device.Main results: All groups reported less physical effort, more stable postures, higher ease of use in handling the FROPS equipped with the supporting device; NN users, in particular, declared to be willing to adopt the supporting device in the future on their tractors when commercially available.Research highlights: Previous studies reported discomfort in operating the FROPS as the main cause of its improper use. A solution to improve FROPS reachability was developed and tested with users. Benefits were perceived by both novice users and expert users.

Visual communication allows the transmission of ideas and information more easily than written communication. Therefore, visual communication is used in different sectors (education, health, machinery, marketing, politics, environmental studies, musicology, science) to overcome language barriers and to effectively convey useful information. Nevertheless, the use of visual material to improve the comprehensibility of safety training in the workplace has been under-investigated, which is particularly true in the agricultural sector, despite its hazardousness and the high number of migrant farmworkers who might benefit from training provided by means of visual communication due to their often scarce knowledge of the local language. Combining graphic composition rules with a user-centred design (UCD) approach, this study aimed to develop visual safety training material based on migrant farmworkers’ needs to increase migrant trainees’ satisfaction in the training process. Focus groups were conducted with both trainers and migrant farmworkers to identify critical issues in existing safety training material and to discuss and evaluate different prototypes of the visual material developed by the authors. Significantly higher satisfaction was reported by migrants trained with the new material compared to a control group in a final training session (U = 152.50, z = −2.165, p = 0.030). Implications for the improvement of safety training for migrant farmworkers are discussed.

Smart Farming Technologies (SFTs) can increase the sustainability of agricultural production, based on a more precise and resource-efficient approach. According to the European Union (EU) policies, the adoption of SFTs represents a key factor for the future of the European farming and a thematic network has been developed and funded by the Horizon 2020 program to identify and deliver new Smart Farming solutions to fit farmers' needs. However, previous studies pointed out a low level of SFTs adoption, often highlighting that successfully adopted technologies and innovations may be nevertheless rejected by the users, who go back to the traditional practices even where benefits were being enjoyed. A limited amount of empirical research is available on the reasons of farmers' attitudes toward the adoption of such new technologies and innovations. This study aimed at investigating the role played by sociodemographic variables, farming system characteristics, and perceived barriers in affecting the adoption of SFTs in a sample of Italian farmers. Three-hundred and ten farm operators were administered a paper-and-pencil questionnaire addressing perceived economic and commercial barriers in the use of SFTs and a set of user and farm-related variables (i.e. education, farm size, being a sole farmer). The analyses showed that education and working alone on-farm influenced the perception of economic barriers, which in turn played the major role in affecting the adoption of SFTs. Larger farms were more likely to adopt the SFTs investigated. The present results pointed out some critical aspects which may benefit from tailor-made interventions in terms of policies, work re-organization and/or operators' training, to support and widen the use of SFTs in the Italian context.

The comprehension of safety signs affixed to agricultural machinery is fundamental to warning users about the residual risks which cannot be eliminated with machinery design and the adoption of protections. This is particularly relevant for the migrant workforce, which may encounter some language barriers with written safety communication. The present study aimed to investigate the comprehension of safety signs affixed to agricultural machinery in a group of migrants from both European and non-European countries employed in Italian agriculture. Thirty-seven migrant farmworkers (12 Indians, 17 Pakistanis, and eight Romanians) were individually interviewed to test the comprehension of four safety signs referring to the main causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries caused by interactions with farm machinery. Romanians obtained the highest comprehension performance (68.8% of correct answers), followed by Indians (35.4%), with Pakistanis being last (32.4%). The nationality and the previous experience as a farmworker significantly affected the comprehension of safety signs. The results pointed out the importance of adequately training migrants on the meaning of safety signs. Beside this, the study suggests a redesign of the signs, considering some signs&rsquo, features to enhance pictorials&rsquo, cross-cultural comprehension.

Tractor overturn is the main cause of injuries and fatal accidents in agriculture. Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) showed to be effective in reducing fatalities during tractor overturn. Foldable ROPS (FROPS) have been developed to offer greater mobility when working in low overhead clearance zones and more storage options. However, many fatalities and serious injuries in tractor overturn accidents occur for a misuse of the FROPS. The study proposed a multidimensional ergonomic investigation of FROPS handling to identify criticalities in the human-machine interaction which prevent farmers from raising the roll-bar. An observation of users’ behaviors while operating the FROPS and a collection of subjective ratings about perceived effort were performed, considering also tractor objective features. Eleven operators and nine tractors were involved in the study. The results showed that the participants exposed themselves to different safety (e.g. falls) and health (e.g. biomechanical overload of the spine) risks when raising the FROPS, even though they did not perceive any intense effort in handling the roll-bar. The vertical distance between the FROPS pivot pin and the ground affected participants’ gestures and postures. To facilitate the actual use of the FROPS and to prevent injuries or fatal consequences in case of tractor overturn, some technical solutions to enhance the accessibility of the FROPS may be developed. Furthermore, the correct postures and gestures to handle the roll-bar should be addressed during safety and health training courses.

Objectives: Safety pictograms are important graphic elements that are useful for rapidly conveying messages in workplaces. The purpose of this study was to investigate the comprehension of safety pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery among a group of Pakistani migrant farmworkers employed in Italy. Methods: Interviews about the meanings attributed to four standardized safety pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery depicting the most frequent causes of farm accidents were administered to 29 Pakistani migrant farmworkers employed on Italian farms. Results: There was high variability in pictogram comprehension. None of the participants interpreted all the pictograms in accordance with the definitions provided by the international standards. Higher comprehension rates were reported for pictograms related to the risks of tractor rollover and foot injury, while pictograms referring to the need to consult a technical manual and the risk of entanglement yielded lower comprehension scores. Previous farming experience in the country of origin and the number of years of education were significantly associated with comprehension scores. Conclusion: A discussion of pictogram features that may be critical for comprehension is provided, and (re)design suggestions are given to improve the cross-cultural comprehension of these safety signs.

Steep slopes are the main cause of rollover incidents in agriculture. Targeted safety signs have been developed to warn machinery operators against risky slopes. However, machinery user&rsquo, s manuals and road signs report information regarding slope steepness in two different ways, by using the tilt angle in degrees and the slope percentage, respectively. In this study, we investigated the comprehension of safety signs depicting critical slopes, either in degrees or as percent values in a group of Italian agricultural machinery operators while considering the possible influence of previous experience with agricultural machinery, previous incidents, and on-farm occupation. Eighteen tractor and self-propelled machinery operators were administered graphical representations of seven slope angles in a randomized order and then were asked to estimate the slope steepness as both a tilt angle and a slope percentage. The participants tended to overestimate slope steepness in degrees, whereas the opposite was true for percentages. Farmers who were previously involved in a machinery-related incident were more accurate in their estimates. The present results raise some considerations regarding the need to redesign safety communication and to promote targeted training interventions.

The present study aimed at investigating perceptions and preferences about the use and the chemical characteristics of pellets made from composted animal manure in a sample of Italian farmers and agricultural advisors (Piedmont region, Northwestern Italy). The study encompassed two different steps: At first, the participants were administered a questionnaire about their actual use of pellets and preferences about their chemical characteristics. Then, a subgroup participated into a hands-on experience with different pelletized animal manures and some final questions. Concerning the use of pellets made from composted animal manure, even if the participants affirmed to be interested in using organic pellets and declared to own the appropriate equipment needed for their application, the results indicated that pelletized compost utilization had not yet become a common practice for agricultural crops. The obtained results highlighted a lack of knowledge, especially among farmers, about the importance of some chemical properties of this pelletized organic material. The participants, both farmers and advisors, were particularly attracted by the total nitrogen content of organic pelletized fertilizers, probably because the supplying of nutrients, nitrogen particularly, is the function of fertilizers they were interested in the most due to its direct connection with crop production. The hands-on session allowed the participants to better understand the benefits of the principal chemical properties&mdash, organic matter and carbon to nitrogen ratio&mdash, of pelletized animal manure compost. On the other hand, organic matter content and carbon to nitrogen ratio, more related with biological fertility and biodiversity of soils, are immediately less interesting and, as the hands-on experience pointed out, require more effort to be appreciated by agricultural operators. Targeted information campaigns and training activities may be developed among the agricultural community to make them aware of the importance of increasing soil organic matter content, and the possible use of pelletized composted animal manure. Further studies should be addressed toward gaining more insights into the beneficial effects of the information and training activities for pelletized compost adoption.

At the end of the 20th century the adoption of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) was one of the disruptive technological advances in agricultural tractors. Several changes in the Human Machine Interface (HMI) of the tractor cab have been introduced to accommodate this technology. HMIs are known to raise issues about their ease of use; however, this topic has been under-investigated in the agricultural sector. The present study introduces a method to investigate the perceived ease of use of the HMI of agricultural tractors equipped with technological innovations. The HMI required to manage a CVT tractor was evaluated by sixteen tractor drivers (8 novices and 8 experts). During the first contact with the machine and after having performed two targeted tasks with the tractor, participants filled in a questionnaire about the ease of use of the controls and of the touch-screen display, and evaluated the general perception of ease of use, safety, quality and solidity of the machine. The trial pointed out some significant differences between novices and experts, thus confirming the validity of the proposed method. In particular, novice users showed some difficulties when interacting for the first time with the HMI of the CVT tractor working station, whereas experts did not report similar difficulties. Thus, expertise seems to play a role in determining the quality of the interaction with the HMI. Training interventions should be designed to help novices in increasing their expertise effectively, avoiding effort and errors and improving user’s comfort and system performance.

Pictorials affixed to agricultural machinery are important tools to warn the user about the risks that can arise from the intended use or any foreseeable misuse of the machine; however, in the U.S. there is no legal requirement regarding the adoption of safety pictorials on agricultural machinery. This study investigated comprehension of safety pictorials in a sample of U.S. agricultural machinery users. Two hundred and eight Pennsylvanian participants were asked to indicate the meaning of 12 frequent safety pictorials by choosing one among 4 alternative labels. The results showed that pictorials referring to the most common risks in agriculture were not necessarily the best comprehended images, and two out of five participants have never seen the pictorials included in the study. Years of experience with the machinery enhanced comprehension, whereas ‘part-time’ farming and occasional use of machinery were related to poorer comprehension. Implications for operators’ safety and solutions to improve pictorial noticeability and comprehension are discussed.

Objectives Migrant farmworkers report higher rates of work-related illnesses, injuries and fatalities compared with local workers. Language and cultural barriers represent a relevant source of risk, which can be reduced by means of targeted training interventions. However, very little evidence is available about the effectiveness of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training programmes addressing migrant farmworkers. Study design We carried out a scoping review. Methods Currently available literature about the effectiveness of OSH training for migrant farmworkers—in terms of improvements in at least one of the following: safety knowledge, behaviours, attitudes and beliefs and health outcomes—was searched from four databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. The screening was performed independently by two authors, and any disagreement was resolved through discussion until consensus was achieved. Once the articles eligible for inclusion were selected, the objectives, design, sample and setting, interventions and findings of each study were recorded. No quality assessment tool for publications considered by this study has been used because a scoping review does not aim for critical appraisal. Results Twenty-nine publications met the inclusion criteria. Of these, nine cross-sectional studies discussed the effectiveness of training activities in terms of whether participating in any programme had or did not have a significant effect on the dependent variables, when training was considered along with other sociodemographic factors. In the majority of these studies, training appeared to have low or no effect on the dependent variables considered. Twenty mainly within-subject experimental studies addressed the effectiveness of specific training methods, reporting significant improvements especially for interventions based on a participatory approach. Conclusions Training could greatly contribute to an effective attainment of OSH information, but the present review shows that more evidence is needed to guide the future development of effective training activities.

Agricultural and earth-moving machinery operators are particularly exposed to whole body vibration (WBV), which has severe effects on health and affects comfort and performance. Few studies have investigated vibrational safety and comfort issues in telescopic handlers. These vehicles are widespread in many off-road applications--such as construction, agriculture and mining--used to handle loads and to lift persons and equipment. This study investigated the effects of an active hydro-pneumatic cabsuspension system fitted to a telehandler on a driver's vibration exposure along the x-, y- and z-axes, through both objective and subjective assessments. Sixteen healthy professional telehandler drivers took part in the study. Objective measurements were acquired at the operator's seat, and subjective ratings were taken while participants drove the telehandler with either a deactivated or activated suspension system at 12 kph on an ISO 5008 smooth track. The results showed that the activation of the cab-suspension system reduced the root-mean-square acceleration along the x- and z-axes. (p=.038 and p=.000, respectively). Moreover, the frequency analysis showed a reduction in the acceleration along the z-axis in the range of 2-25 Hz (p

Agriculture is among the most hazardous productive sectors, and farm machinery is a major source of injury. In the present study, a mediated model was used to test the role played by workers’ characteristics, work environment factors, and near misses in predicting agricultural machinery-related accidents in a sample of Italian users (n=290). Hours worked per week (via the mediation of an adverse work environment) showed a positive association and years of work experience (via the mediation of risk perception) showed a negative association with the probability of being involved in a near miss, which in turn showed a positive association with the probability of being involved in a machinery-related accident. Implications for tailored preventive interventions are discussed.

INTRODUCTION: Pictograms affixed to agricultural machinery are important tools to reduce the occurrence of accidents and injuries when correctly noticed, comprehended, and followed. This study investigated the knowledge of safety pictograms used in agricultural machinery in a sample of farmers and farm workers and examined the factors influencing their comprehension. METHOD: A questionnaire with 12 safety pictograms used for agricultural machinery was administered to 281 owners or users of agricultural machinery. For each of the pictograms, the participants had to select the most appropriate verbal description from among four choices. RESULTS: The pictograms examined yielded poor comprehension scores, including warnings related to the most frequent accidents involving agricultural machinery. Familiarity with the pictograms and years of experience with agricultural machinery significantly increased users' comprehension of the meaning of the pictograms. CONCLUSIONS: Specific training programs should be designed to draw attention to safety pictograms and to instill their meaning. Language: en