Efficiency and daily work effort in sugar cane cutters.

Abstract

Productivity (metric tons (tonnes)/day), efficiency (kg cane cut/l .ovrhdot.VO2 [O2 uptake]), and effort (percent .ovrhdot.VO2 max sustained during an 8 h workday) were measured in 54 Colombian sugar cane cutters. In workers who sustained less than 40% .ovrhdot.VO2 max during the workday, the effort expended was related to productivity (r = 0.71) but efficiency and productivity were not significantly correlated. In 16 workers sustaining a greater than 40% .ovrhdot.VO2 max during the workday, productivity and effort were not related and efficiency was significantly reduced. Subjects using less than 40% .ovrhdot.VO2 max were divided into good, average and poor producers and compared with the men with low efficiencies. These inefficient men generally had the anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of low productivity workers (smaller stature, weight and .ovrhdot.VO2 max). The frequency of good, average and poor cutters in the inefficient group did not differ from that of the men expending less than 40% of their maximum effort nor was their average productivity different. No obvious reasons for the differences in efficiency and effort of these men were found.