Coordination of European Research on Industrial Safety towards Smart and Sustainable Growth
GrapHazard
Hazard characterization of graphene-based nanomaterials in energy production and storage
Grape harvesting remains associated with recurrent occupational safety risks, including accidents linked to manual handling, machinery interaction, awkward postures, slips/trips, and exposure to environmental conditions during seasonal peaks. Many vineyards rely on temporary or seasonal workforces and variable mechanisation levels, which can complicate consistent prevention practices and risk controls. Existing safety management in the sector is often fragmented, with limited consolidation of accident data, exposure information and effective mitigation measures into practical guidance tailored to vineyard operations. This creates persistent injury risks, productivity losses and challenges for employers and authorities seeking to implement proportionate prevention measures. GrapHazard addresses these issues by characterising hazards and exposure drivers in grape harvesting operations and by developing and evaluating targeted technical and organisational prevention measures.
The project investigates which accident and near-miss scenarios are most prevalent during grape harvesting and how they relate to specific tasks, tools and operational contexts. It examines the contribution of physical workload, ergonomic constraints, machinery interfaces and environmental conditions to the occurrence of incidents and injuries. Another research question concerns how risk assessment methods can be adapted to capture task variability and seasonal constraints in vineyards, and how prevention measures can be prioritised based on risk relevance and feasibility. The project explores the effectiveness of candidate mitigation measures, including organisational practices, training and technical adaptations, and how results can be translated into sector-relevant prevention guidance for stakeholders.
GrapHazard will deliver an evidence-based hazard and risk characterisation for grape harvesting operations, supported by accident analysis and field data. Outputs include a prioritised set of prevention measures and evaluated technical and organisational mitigation options tailored to vineyard contexts. The project will produce practical guidance materials to support employers, workers and prevention bodies in improving safety performance during harvest periods, and will disseminate results to relevant stakeholders to facilitate uptake.
The project is structured into four coordinated work packages. - WP1 – Hazard identification and data collection: identifies grape harvest–related occupational hazards through field data and accident analysis. - WP2 – Exposure and risk assessment: analyses physical workload, machinery interaction and environmental conditions contributing to risk. - WP3 – Mitigation measures and tools: develops and evaluates technical and organisational risk reduction measures. - WP4 – Dissemination and guidance: consolidates results into practical prevention guidance for stakeholders.
Cristina Ponti
University of Trieste
Italy
Silvio Sosa
University of Trieste
Italy
Aurelia Tubaro
University of Trieste
Italy
Marco Pelin
University of Trieste
Italy
Mira Hartikainen
FIOH
Finland
Kukka Aimonen
FIOH
Finland
Gerard Vales
FIOH
Finland
Julia Catalán
FIOH
Finland
FWEF
Finland
FIOH
Finland