Influence of anthropometry on meat-packing plant workers: an approach to the shoulder joint.

This study was conducted with 90 poultry slaughterhouse workers, which perform the function of removing chicken parts from the conveyor belt, and sample was composed of 66 women (33.5 ± 6.5 years) and 24 men (35.7 ± 7.2 years), aiming to analyze the influence of anthropometry in the shoulder joint of these workers. Body discomfort was evaluated by a human body diagram, being applied at the end of the work shift. The anthropometric measurement of shoulder was performed by measuring the height of the acromion process, being compared with the height of the conveyor belt. Analysis of the results was performed by descriptive statistics, mean, standard deviation, percentage and percentiles 5%, 50% and 95%. It was found that the height of the conveyor belt was 1.74 meters, while the average shoulder height of workers was 1.38 meters for percentile 5%, 1.41 meters for percentile 50% and 1.65 meters for percentile 95%. The discomfort regions were shoulder 45%, neck 29%, column 26%, arms 23%, and wrists and hand 20%. The upper limb assessment was performed with percentile 5% through the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment method, resulting in a final score > 7, indicating the need for adjustments of the work organization. It was concluded that the workplace does not meet the workers' anthropometric characteristics, mainly affecting the shoulder joint, and correction ergonomics becomes necessary so that the workers involved in this study can perform their functions with health, comfort and safety.

Effects of a labor gym program in mental workload of workers from rectory of UNIOESTE.

The present work is a quality-quantitative study of cause-effect type. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a Labor Gym (LG) program in mental workload of workers from rectory of the Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (Unioeste) Cascavel. The sample consisted of 35 employees. For data collection, it was used the NASA-TLX questionnaire to evaluate the mental workload of employees. Then, the participants performed sessions of LG, totaling 20 classes. After this period the employess were re-evaluated. To characterize the sample, data were tabulated and a descriptive analysis was performed using the SPSS 15.0. The interpretation of the NASA-TLX questionnaire was based on its own methodology. Before the LG sessions, the total average dimensions analyzed was 79 (sd: 11,05), representing a high rate of mental workload. After the period of LG, the total average of final mental workload decreased, but it remained with a high rate (x:75, sd: 13.42). In relation to the comparative analysis of the initial and final averages of mental workload, by t test (bipolar), there was no significant difference (p = 0.071668).

Identification of the mental workload of public employees in the administrative sector at a public university.

In the workplace there are risk factors that can overwhelm the health of the worker causing physical and psychological disorders. Among these disorders, is occupational stress. Thus, this research proposes to measure the mental workload of job stress from the identification of demand, control and social support. It is an observational cross-sectional epidemiological character, performed with the Rectory office workers at the State University of West Paraná (Unioeste). Data collection was due to the application of the "Job Stress Scale" (JSS) and in its reduced version adapted to Portuguese. The survey sample consisted of 44 individuals. Statistical analysis was correlated inversely with medium intensity (r = -0.404) between age and social support. For males was found between control and age (r = 0.603). According to the data obtained, we conclude that most workers are exposed to passive work, leading to loss of skills or disinterest in the job. This study highlights the importance of research in the area and the need for new actions that change the conditions of stress at work.

Body discomfort in poultry slaughterhouse workers.

Brazil has the main producers and exporters of chicken meat, which is classified as the third largest world chicken meat producer and lead exporter. This study aimed at analyzing the body discomfort perception in poultry slaughterhouse workers and its associations with the task characteristics. The study included 290 workers, 200 women (34.7 ± 7.7 years) and 90 men (36.8 ± 8.2 years). A body map for evaluating discomfort and an interview regarding organizational issues and criteria of the OCRA method were used. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05) were used. It was found that 87.6% of respondents performed repetitive tasks, 86.2% performed rest breaks, 82.8% performed job rotation (2-7 tasks) and 61% used tools. It was also found that 67.2% felt discomfort in at least one body region, and the symptoms most often reported were pain, fatigue and tingling. The body regions most frequently cited were: shoulders (62.6%), neck (46.2%), spine (36.4%), forearms (31.3%), arms (29.2%), wrists (25.6%) and hands (25.6%). In sectors artificially cold (n = 204), 54.1% felt cold. There was no association between body discomfort and gender, task characteristics, performance of rest breaks and job rotation, use of tools and time working in the company; however, there was association with cold perception (p = 0.035).

Descrição do método de avaliação postural de Portland State University / Description of posture evaluation method of Portland State University

O presente artigo aborda uma metodologia de avaliação postural baseada no método proposto pela Portland State university (PSU) e adaptado por Althoff, Heyden e Robertson. Neste sentido, descrevemos passo a passo o protocolo e seus escores sobre a interpretação de desvios posturais. A aplicação requer a utilização de um simetrógrafo, uma base sobre o chão para o posicionamento dos pés, fio de prumo, com o avaliado na posição do pé. Ao final, o avaliador tem como parâmetro as assimetrias presentes no sujeitom e classificá-los conforme o Índice de Correção POstural (ICP).

The present article approaches a methodology of evaluation postural based on the method proposed by Portland State University (PSU) and adapted by Althoff, Heyden and Robertson. In this sense we described step-to-step the protocol and its result about the interpretation of posture deviations. The method uses basically, a simetrógrafo, a base on the ground for the feet positioning, plumb line thread and subjective evaluation about the individual deviations, always taking like baseline the vertical reference, with the subject stand up. At the end the appraiser has as parameter the current asymmetries in the subject and can classify them according to the Postural Correction Index.