Ergonomic practices in Africa: Date palm work in Algeria as an example.

Background: Despite the call for the application of ergonomics in developing countries, the African share of ergonomic studies is modest. Date palm farming is considered one of the most important economic resources in hot and dry areas. In African countries, including Algeria, there exist millions of date palms. Date palm work can be precarious and associated with higher rates of work related musculoskeletal disorders.

Objective: This paper aims to:1.Reveal how the workers climb the trunk of the date palm to get to the crown.2.Detect the amount of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) in date palm trees work, and how to combat it.

Method: The descriptive method was used.

Results: Objective 1, Majority of date palm workers are still using the traditional methods, i.e. free climbing, and belt aided climbing. However, a minority of workers have started using modern methods i.e. ladders, climbing devices, and modern technology (e.g. hydraulic lifts). Objective 2, the workers complained about WRMSDs presence in the shoulders, hands, wrists, lower back, hips knees, and feet. Efforts to combat these WRMSDs are personal, educational and scientific efforts.

Conclusion: Regarding climbing, the traditional methods are still dominant, and the use of technology is very limited. As regards WRMSDs, date palm workers complain about their presence in many parts of the body.