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Improving Mobility on the Farm or Ranch

Improving Mobility on the Farm or Ranch. Robert Stuthridge B.Sc., M.Sc. Ergonomist National AgrAbility Project Purdue University West Lafayette, IN. Agenda. Importance of mobility Barriers to mobility Possible improvements and solutions Discussion. Importance of mobility.

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Improving Mobility on the Farm or Ranch

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  1. Improving Mobility on the Farm or Ranch Robert Stuthridge B.Sc., M.Sc. Ergonomist National AgrAbility Project Purdue University West Lafayette, IN

  2. Agenda • Importance of mobility • Barriers to mobility • Possible improvements and solutions • Discussion

  3. Importance of mobility • A farmer/rancher who does not have relatively easy access to crops, livestock, and facilities can experience losses due to inadequate supervision of their operation. • These losses represent a competitive disadvantage. • There are also quality of life issues involved.

  4. Barriers to mobility • Attention in urban settings to improving access: • Curb cuts • Elevators • Lifts • paved walkways • ramps • Problematic in farming/ranching – different terrain types in varying weather conditions.

  5. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Long distances between work sites

  6. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Growing crops/vegetation www.eatmorestrawberries.com

  7. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Surface materials not suited to good mobility

  8. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Uneven/sloping terrain

  9. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Fences and gates

  10. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • Buildings and other structures

  11. Barriers to mobility Farmers with mobility problems have to deal with: • The weather

  12. Possible improvements and solutions Personal Mobility Aids • Limitations: Personal mobility aids alone cannot resolve every problem. E.g. wheelchair in deep mud. • May need a combination of personal mobility aids and site improvements • How far we go depends on • feasibility • finances • wishes of the farmer • demands of the job.

  13. Personal Mobility Aids • Manual wheelchairs:Pros • Lightweight manual wheelchairs (e.g. ‘sports’ models) are: • Easily maneuverable • Require less energy to move compared with standard-weight chairs • Wheelchairs designed for off-road use, (e.g. Invacare Crossfire All-Terrain) may suit farmers best.

  14. Personal Mobility Aids • Manual wheelchairs: Cons • Manual wheelchairs less useful for long distances or unaccommodating ground. • In bad weather - hand rims may be slippery. • For better traction in snow, baler twine can be used like tire chains - easily cut off when not required.

  15. Personal Mobility Aids Lever propulsion manual chairs e.g. Jouleflow Blade Drive (1 or 2 handed propulsion) and Wijit (2 handed) eliminate rim use. Click image for Jouleflow video

  16. Personal Mobility Aids • Manual wheelchairs: Other considerations • Mag/alloy or spoke rims? • Alloys are lighter • spoke rims provide better shock absorption. • Solid or pneumatic tires? • Weight, shock absorption, • puncture resistance. • Tire liners to resist punctures? • Plastic/Kevlar liners: but reduce shock absorption • - Polyurethane foam: lightweight, good shock absorption

  17. Personal Mobility Aids • Powered wheelchairs • Not all powered chairs are suited to farms • Look for: • high torque • all wheel drive (ideally) • adequate ground clearance • tires for rough terrain • shock-absorbing seat suspension • armrests • all weather seats • Power sources: • battery/electric – allowed in public buildings but may not offer long range (solar power ‘charge on-the-go’ system) • Gas – greater range but prohibited in public buildings Magic Mobility X8 Frontier Tracabout IRV 2000 CadWeazle

  18. Personal Mobility Aids • Standing wheelchairs • Enable user to adopt standing posture. • Helps with some tasks, including workshop activities. • Improves viewing over obstructions/fences. • Improves blood flow - may offer other health benefits. The Standing Company Superstand

  19. Personal Mobility Aids • ATVs • Compared with powered wheelchairs: • Have longer range • Cope with most terrain/conditions • Faster • Carry passengers and/or materials • Can power implements (mainly towing) www.iowafarmequipment.com www.abby-usa.com

  20. Personal Mobility Aids • Trucks • Almost ‘standard equipment’ on most farms. • May be fitted with powered lifts. • May be adapted for hand control of all functions. www.lifeessentialsweb.com

  21. Possible improvements and solutions Site improvements – main aspects • Planning routes • Ramps and lifts • Gates • Substrates

  22. Site improvements Planning routes Distances traveled between buildings? Orientation of doorways and provision of alternative access points? Sheltered route? Use existing paved routes?

  23. Site improvements Ramps and lifts • Choose either lift or ramp, with features and construction materials to suit each situation. Ideally comply with ADA Standards for Accessible Design. • Retain steps, where feasible: • Ramps not ideal for some people with walking impairments. • Lifts may suffer breakdown or power failure. www.ada.gov

  24. Site improvements • Gates • Automatic – solar powered • Can open gates up to 20’ and weighing up to 1,000 pounds. • Trickle charge battery operation using 10w or 20w solar panel. www.gtoinc.com

  25. Site Improvements • Substrates • Incompatibility of wheelchairs and soft substrate. Solution may involve changes to wheelchair, substrate, or both. • Changes to the wheelchair: • Fitting high flotation tires. Reduce sinking. • Use a wheelchair with high ground clearance and high grip tires. • Use a foam or air cushion to reduce shocks to the spine.

  26. Site Improvements • Changes to the substrate. Common solutions: • Retain and compact substrate. Reduce voids using different grades of material, then pressure/vibratory compaction. Routine re-compaction may be necessary. • Pave using concrete or asphalt. • Reinforce the substrate structure using resin/chemical binders. • For soft earth, stabilize using a cellular confinement system immediately beneath the substrate surface, which is then grassed over, e.g. ‘TuffTrack’ or GrassPave2 • Provide a stable synthetic surface over unstable substrate. Porous pavement panels, e.g. GeoBlock, or rolls. If unchecked, vegetation will grow through such systems. • TuffTrack System. NDS, Inc. http://www.ndspro.com/cms/index.php/15-LANDSCAPE/TUFF-TRACK-GRASS-ROAD-PAVERS.html • GeoBlock. Soil Stabilization Products Company, Inc. http://sspco.com/geoblock/geoblock_OV.html

  27. Site improvements • Substrates: Route hardening • Crushed stone or decorative gravel: • Pros • Material and maintenance cost is low • Surface is suitable for both pedestrian and vehicular use • Porous, reducing or eliminating risk of storm water run-off. • Cons • Small, thin wheels sink and act as brakes - muscular strain risk increased. • Material may lodge between hand rim and tire, causing hand injuries. • Coarse stone increases roughness of the ride. • May be rendered stable and more accessible for wheelchair users by installing a porous pavement system e.g. Gravelpave2

  28. Discussion

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