Economic analysis of new workplace technology including productivity and injury: The case of needle-less injection in swine

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 17;15(6):e0233599. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233599. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Increasing intensification in swine production has led to new and specialized technologies, but the occupational health and safety impacts are rarely quantified in the business plans for adoption. Needle-less injection has potential to increase productivity and eliminate needle stick injury in workers, but it is not clear whether these benefits offset high capital investment and potential increases in musculoskeletal loads. This economic evaluation employed probabilistic scenario analysis using injury, cost, and production data gathered from interviews with swine producers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. After adoption of needle-less injection, rates of needle-stick injury went down with no measureable effect on upper limb musculoskeletal disorders, resulting in lower health and safety costs for needle-less injectors. Needle-less injection duration was 40% faster once workers acclimatized, but large start-up costs mean economic benefits are realized only after the first year. The incremental benefit cost ratio promoted adoption of needle-less injectors over conventional needles for the base case of a 1200 sow barn; the conventional method is beneficial for barns with 600 sows or less. Findings indicate that well-designed technologies have the potential to achieve the dual ergonomics goals of enhancing human wellbeing and system performance. We anticipate that the economic and decision models developed in this study can be applied to other new technologies in agriculture and animal production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Husbandry / economics
  • Animal Husbandry / organization & administration*
  • Animal Husbandry / statistics & numerical data
  • Animals
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis
  • Efficiency, Organizational
  • Humans
  • Injections, Jet / economics
  • Injections, Jet / veterinary*
  • Manitoba
  • Needlestick Injuries / economics
  • Needlestick Injuries / epidemiology
  • Needlestick Injuries / prevention & control
  • Occupational Diseases / economics
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology
  • Occupational Diseases / prevention & control
  • Occupational Health / economics*
  • Occupational Health / statistics & numerical data
  • Saskatchewan
  • Sus scrofa
  • Swine
  • Swine Diseases / drug therapy
  • Swine Diseases / prevention & control
  • Time Factors
  • Workers' Compensation / economics
  • Workers' Compensation / statistics & numerical data
  • Workplace / economics
  • Workplace / organization & administration*

Grants and funding

CT & EP: Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba https://www.wcb.mb.ca/research-and-workplace-innovation-program-0 CT: Canada Research Chairs program [#228136] http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/chairholders-titulaires/profile-eng.aspx?profileId=3030 The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.