In this paper, the authors present the relationship between the assumptions of ergonomics in the work of a strawberry picker and quality of picked fruit. The body posture that a person adopts while working has a significant impact on their health, working comfort, and productivity, but also on the quality of the fruit that is harvested. This paper identifies three characteristic picker positions during strawberry harvesting. A synchronized surface electromyography (sEMG) instrument together with the Tekscan^® surface pressure measurement system allowed for the determination of the influence of working position on changes in the load of the picker’s musculoskeletal system and the surface pressure exerted on the fruit during manual strawberry picking, which are decisive factors for maintaining fruit quality. In addition, compression tests on whole strawberry fruit were carried out as a benchmark to evaluate and compare the maximum forces as well as the destructive pressures on the fruit. From the tests, we found that the most comfortable position of the worker’s body was determined along with the harvesting technique (position during work) that has the least negative effect on the quality of the harvested fruit. Consequently, the level of dynamic load on the worker was determined.

Apples are the most popular fruits grown in Polish orchards. In order to obtain the best quality fruit, it is necessary to improve plantation maintenance, fruit harvesting, and processing. Given that many fruits are exposed to external factors, including forces that adversely affect their structure—causing them to crack, bruise, or crush—it is necessary to provide conditions that do not adversely affect their quality. Therefore, the aim of this article was to develop a simplified model of an apple that could be tested under different loads using the finite element method. The parameters of the model were selected to reflect the actual apple as accurately as possible. To assess the apples under impact load, as well as the construction of the FEM model, concrete and wooden substrates were used, where apples were dropped from height of 10 mm and 30 mm. Due to this research, an apple model was obtained that reflects the actual object very well (high R² coefficient). In addition, the layering and distribution of surface pressures of the real and model objects from the distribution are presented. This shows that the constructed model corresponds to the behaviour of the biological material, subjected to loads in real conditions.

The harvest phase plays an important role in the whole process of production of tomato fruit. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a technological process that will not damage biological materials. The harvest phase plays an important role in the whole process. Many growers use special machines for harvesting, but there are fruits and vegetables that should be harvested manually to avoid damaging the surface or parenchyma tissue of the harvested objects. In addition to maintaining the quality of biological materials, work comfort, and ergonomic conditions for pickers should be ensured because inadequate working conditions do not encourage employees to undertake manual work in horticulture. Therefore, there have been shortages of workers on Polish plantations in the past year. Based on manual tomato harvesting, the authors conducted a matched qualitative research study on biological materials and work ergonomics. For this purpose, the Grip System was used to investigate tomato quality by assessing the impact of picking hand pressure (in three different picker’s body positions) on the harvested objects. Simultaneously, for the picker’s ergonomic analysis, a non-invasive surface electromyography method was used to precisely measure changes in muscle motor unit action in the picker’s wrist and lumbar spine while in three characteristic picker’s positions. The tests found that the poorest body position was when the body was deeply inclined and simultaneously twisted. No significant effect was shown of the body position of the tomato picker on the deterioration of the picked fruit quality. However, body positions significantly affect the level of physical load and work comfort.

In recent years in Poland, there has been an increasing issue with waste management. Despite waste sorting and fees paid by residents for waste collection, many of these waste materials are illegally disposed of. Such formally unclassified waste poses a significant threat to the surrounding residents and exerts toxic effects on soil and as well as surface- and groundwater and also fauna and flora in the vicinity. Due to the significant number of illegal storage site fires in Poland, the authors of this article assessed the impact of five different fires at illegal waste storage sites in Poland on the soil by analyzing the composition of the ashes remaining after a fire. Based on the chemical evaluation of the ashes, it was found that there are substances present in quantities exceeding permissible concentrations. Therefore, the authors concluded that some of these substances may have a negative impact on human health and degrade the surrounding flora and fauna in the storage areas. Consequently, it is essential to exercise stricter control over waste storage locations, classifying the waste left there to prevent adverse environmental and human impacts in case of a fire. Further research is necessary to assess the influence, for example, of leachate following a fire on the quality of the natural environment.

Farmers belong to the group of high risk in terms of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. A series of tasks, which are often performed in an uncomfortable position, loads exceeding farmers’ physical abilities, as well as high repetition of work movements, all contribute significantly to the development of irreversible changes in the musculoskeletal system. Taking into account the above-mentioned circumstances, this study aimed at workload assessment expressed in maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) while delivering dairy-cattle feed. In the initial phase of this study, a questionnaire was carried out, based on which a load of individual segments of the musculoskeletal system during work was subjectively assessed. On this basis, the areas of the musculoskeletal system were selected in which a risk of the ailments’ occurrence was the highest. These studies were carried out directly on farms, where the surface electromyography (sEMG) method was used. On the basis of obtained results, the permissible human load was determined based on mass of the shovel which was used to load and unload maize silage. The obtained results can be used to ensure safe conditions while performing work with high muscle exertion.