Date: December 10, 2004
Subject: Press Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Topic: The Weed Twister Alternative to Hand
Weeding in Agriculture
Spurred by recent regulations to restrict hand
weeding on California crops, Ergonica has
developed an ergonomic, industrial strength
model of the Weed Twister. The Weed Twister has
a patented design like a double-coil shaped fork
that allows for very precise penetration more
deeply into the roots than possible with a hoe.
It can also be used to scrape new seedlings off
the surface of the soil like a circle hoe with a
diameter of only two inches. The accurate
precision, ergonomics and efficiency of the Weed
Twister are what make it stand out in comparison
with various hoe designs and other hand
tools intended for weed removal and cultivation.
Ergonica plans to have a 48 inch industrial
version of the Weed Twister available for early
spring in 2005, and a 52 inch model a few months
later. For home gardens, the 36 inch version
of the Weed Twister is currently available for
purchase in several nurseries in Southern
California and on the web at
www.ergonica.com. The industrial models
will not only have longer handles, but will also
be designed to withstand a greater amount of
repetitive stress. California regulations
require that hand tools used for agriculture
have handle lengths of at least 48 inches.
Not only can organic growers benefit from the
use of this tool, but so can any grower with
crops like celery, cabbage, lettuce, broccoli,
spinach, carrots and strawberries, for
example. Many nursery crops also require
precise weeding and the Weed Twister has been
successfully applied to crops in containers of
various sizes, we well. In preliminary tests in
the fields of Oxnard, California, the industrial
model of the Weed Twister successfully removed
such weeds as little mallow, goosefoot, yellow
nutsedge, purslane, nightshades and
lambsquarters.
Ergonica presented the Weed Twister
alternative at a public hearing on hand weeding
regulations in Glendale, California, on November
18, 2004, sponsored by the California
Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board
(OSHSB). Ergonica recommended that an
upper weight limit of three pounds be
established for hand tools in agriculture.
Ergonica also suggested that OSHSB establish a
centralized process for identifying suitable
hand tools as alternatives to hand weeding for
specific agricultural conditions.
In 1975, the short hoe was banned in California
farms to protect the health and safety of
farmworkers. All other short handled tools were
banned in 1978. But this led to the increased
use of hand weeding which has posed even greater
health risks. Several attempts to prohibit hand
weeding have failed in the California
legislature in recent years. Now the
conflicting parties are attempting to negotiate
their differences through regulations under the
auspices of the OSHSB.
The current regulations prohibit hand weeding
unless no other suitable alternative means is
available. Ergonica is hoping to position the
industrial model of the Weed Twister as
a reasonable and suitable alternative to hand
weeding in many of the conditions where hand
weeding is practiced. An updated version of the
current OSHSB regulations should be released by
February 5, 2005.
Ergonica sincerely hopes that some of the
political friction between interested parties
will be diffused by technological solutions,
like the Weed Twister, that can potentially
increase efficiency and also protect the health
and safety of farmworkers in addition to
adhering to compliance with the new Cal OSHSB
regulations.
For more information, please contact:
Ray Cruz
ray.cruz[AT]ergonica.com
323-441-9797
Ergonica
PO Box 69154
West Hollywood, CA 90069
