Avaliação ergonômica do trabalho em indústria de aço inox: Análise de condições psicofisiológicas

Abstract

Context: We present a method for ergonomic intervention, in which the psychophysiological work conditions of workers in the stainless steel industry are investigated. Objective: To assess the working conditions and provide suggestions to enable an ergonomic work environment. Methods: This was a descriptive, retrospective study obtained from survey data of 47 employees from a stainless steel smelter in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, from January to December 2011, trough technical visit. Results: In the workstations observed in this study, the body posture is free posture, sometimes in standing position, siting or semi-siting. The type of bank used is questionable, as there is no backrest. The observed problems were: accidental and architectural, due to the lack of planning space and pleasant work environment; biological, due to accumulated dirt and non-compliance with hygiene standards; physical and environmental, due to the lack of sufficient lighting especially in jobs requiring precision; interfiacial, with work benches and especially banks without any kind of support for the execution of tasks; chemical and environmental, due to the lack of a clean workplace, exposing the worker to heavy substances harmful to health on a daily basis. Conclusion: The study shows the fragility of working conditions at a company in São Luís. It is important to make changes in order to guarantee beter conditions of service, according to ergonomic principles.