MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS RELATED TO WORK AND THEIR RISK FACTORS: A STUDY IN THE SYSTEM OF MILK PRODUCTION IN SANTA CATARINA, BRAZIL

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the system of milk production and to identify risk factors for the development of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD). The methodology used was Ergonomic Work Analysis to identify risk factors, the prevalence of pain / discomfort and location of anatomical parts affected were established by the standard Nordic questionnaire and the study of comparative risk with other activities was carried out by the method of Jonsson. The main findings were the high prevalence of complaints of pain / discomfort (85.16%); a high risk of developing WMSDs among milkers as there were inadequacies in the workplace leading to harmful postures, equipment not appropriate for work and the presence of human skeletal muscle overload. The main anatomical regions affected were for men wrists / hands, hips and thoracic spine; for women elbows, wrists / hands, spine (thoracic and lumbar spine), hips, knees, ankles and feet. The pain also showed a characteristic multifocal where 33% of the milkers, had some type of pain in the three body segments. As for the production system it was found that hand milking may be considered a predisposing factor for pain in the wrists / hands, spine and foot / ankle.