Fuzzy Logic as an Ergonomic Risk Assessment and Improvement Tool: A Comparative Approach to Rapid Upper Limb Assessment in Greenhouse Cultivation

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Abstract
Musculoskeletal disorders remain one of the leading occupational health concerns in agriculture, especially in physically demanding environments such as greenhouse cultivation. This study evaluates the ergonomic risks associated with 15 tasks involved in the complete cultivation cycle of vine tomatoes in Almería, Spain, using two complementary approaches: the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) method and a fuzzy logic–based inference system. The fuzzy model integrates six biomechanical input variables and enables both real-time evaluation and simulation of ergonomic scenarios. The results highlight critical postural loads in several tasks, with the manual digging of planting holes identified as the most hazardous. A semi-automatic pneumatic system was proposed and analyzed, showing a substantial reduction in ergonomic risk, validated by both RULA and fuzzy logic outputs. This confirms that fuzzy logic not only mirrors expert ergonomic evaluation but also allows the assessment of potential improvements introduced by technological interventions. The methodology offers a scalable, interpretable, and adaptable decision-support tool for improving worker safety and promoting sustainable agriculture.