Each year, thousands of migrant and seasonal farmworkers participate in the manual harvesting of blueberries in Maine. Manual raking of blueberries can lead to musculoskeletal pain and injury. Northeast Center (NEC) researchers used a community-based approach to develop a new blueberry rake. A long, 2-handled blueberry rake design (see photos) was tested and proven to increase productivity, require less force, and reduce pain amongst farmworkers. A two-year follow-up showed over 70% of those interviewed now use a long-handled rake. There was increased productivity, greater acceptability, less force used, and less pain reported with the extended handle design. The extended handle rake may prove effective in reducing musculoskeletal injury associated with blueberry harvesting. This study was published in 2012, and the long-handled rakes are still in use today.
