Development of grain threshers based on ergonomic design criteria.

Threshers are used extensively on Indian farms for threshing grains, but are involved in a significant proportion of limb crush injuries. International safety standards are somewhat difficult to enforce because manufacture of machines is done at widely dispersed local workshops. Locally made machines are used for crop production and post-harvesting operations, with a great deal of manual work. This technical note reports the results of a study to develop a cost effective, improved design for safe operation of threshers based on ergonomic principles.