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In order to achieve better postures and decrease musculoskeletal risks adequate design of hand/box couplings for manual materials handling (MMH) are still needed. No studies evaluating upper limb movement thorough direct measurements during box handling in workplace were identified in the literature. In this study we describe the types of grip and movements adopted by ten workers when handling redesigned boxes with cutout handles between different heights on industrial pallets. The new handles were used by 90% of the workers through different types of grip. Electrogoniometric measurements showed relatively safe forearm and wrist movements, although elbow inadequate range of movement was recorded. Despite the good acceptance of the cutout by workers, the new design requires extra internal space in the boxes reducing applications for this alternative of box.

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Work organization affects the production of a company as well as the health of employees. It is a challenge to create sustainable production systems with the least harm to the health. An observational assessment tool was developed by the NIOSH--WMSD Research Consortium and adapted by the SHARP study. The objectives were to translate this assessment tool into Brazilian Portuguese (as the Avaliação de Aspectos Organizacionais do Trabalho--AOT) and to evaluate its applicability in an industrial setting. The AOT final translated version was obtained after a consensus by the research team. Difficulties arose in applying the translated version due to technical terms with no direct equivalents in Portuguese, nonexcluding or similar alternatives, and questions that gave room for various interpretations, besides the great complexity of the tasks performed in the sectors. Despite that, the results suggest that AOT was sensitive for discriminating differences between sectors. Nevertheless, for better application of this tool in complex industrial environments, it is necessary: training and consensus among evaluators, familiarity with organizational aspects of the occupational settings evaluated. Also for assuring the internal validity of the analysis, might be necessary, the creation of subdivisions in the sectors evaluated if the tasks vary significantly intra-sector. The present report can help to understand the difficulties inherent to the evaluation of organizational aspects on a collective level and also the possible implications related to the translation of this assessment into other languages.

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BACKGROUND: Work conditions can overload a worker's capabilities and result in health complaints. The early identification of hazardous work conditions allows the definition of priorities for more efficient ergonomic interventions. OBJECTIVES: To assess the need for recovery among industrial workers under different work conditions using the Need for Recovery Scale (NFR), and to verify the association between the scores and personal factors, occupational factors and daily activities. METHODS: 191 workers (mean age of 34.5±8.3 years) from a manufactory industry participated in this study. Workers answered both a questionnaire regarding demographic and occupational factors, and daily activities as well as the NFR. Ergonomic assessment of workplace sectors was carried out based on the Ergonomic Workplace Analysis. The Pearson chi-square test (significance level 5%) was used to verify the association between NFR scores and the variables of interest. RESULTS: The only association was between work sector and NFR score. According to the ergonomic assessment, the work sector with the highest need for recovery also presented the worst environmental and organizational conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The Need for Recovery Scale proved to be a helpful tool for differentiating work sectors presenting different workload demands and contributed to the definition of intervention priorities for preserving worker health.

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BACKGROUND: Work conditions can overload a worker's capabilities and result in health complaints. The early identification of hazardous work conditions allows the definition of priorities for more efficient ergonomic interventions. OBJECTIVES: To assess the need for recovery among industrial workers under different work conditions using the Need for Recovery Scale (NFR), and to verify the association between the scores and personal factors, occupational factors and daily activities. METHODS: 191 workers (mean age of 34.5±8.3 years) from a manufactory industry participated in this study. Workers answered both a questionnaire regarding demographic and occupational factors, and daily activities as well as the NFR. Ergonomic assessment of workplace sectors was carried out based on the Ergonomic Workplace Analysis. The Pearson chi-square test (significance level 5 percent) was used to verify the association between NFR scores and the variables of interest. Results: The only association was between work sector and NFR score. According to the ergonomic assessment, the work sector with the highest need for recovery also presented the worst environmental and organizational conditions. Conclusions: The Need for Recovery Scale proved to be a helpful tool for differentiating work sectors presenting different workload demands and contributed to the definition of intervention priorities for preserving worker health.

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO:As condições de trabalho podem gerar demandas excessivas e comprometer a saúde dos trabalhadores. A identificação precoce de condições críticas de trabalho permite determinar prioridades para intervenções preventivas e aumentar as chances de maior eficácia dessas medidas. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a necessidade de descanso para trabalhadores industriais submetidos a diferentes condições de trabalho utilizando a Escala de Necessidade de Descanso (ENEDE) e verificar a associação de seus resultados com fatores pessoais, ocupacionais e de hábitos cotidianos desses trabalhadores. MÉTODOS:Participaram do estudo 191 trabalhadores (média de idade de 34,5±8,3 anos) de uma indústria de transformação de madeira. Os trabalhadores responderam a um questionário sobre dados demográficos, ocupacionais e de aspectos de vida cotidiana e à ENEDE. Realizou-se avaliação ergonômica dos setores de trabalho com base no protocolo Ergonomic Workplace Analysis. O teste qui-quadrado de Pearson a 5 por cento de significância foi utilizado para verificar associação entre a pontuação obtida pela ENEDE e os fatores avaliados. RESULTADOS:Os resultados mostraram que houve associação apenas entre o setor de trabalho e as pontuações da ENEDE. Segundo a avaliação ergonômica, o setor que apresentou maior necessidade de descanso também apresentou piores condições de trabalho quanto a aspectos ambientais e organizacionais. Conclusões: A escala para avaliação da necessidade de descanso mostrou-se um instrumento útil para diferenciar setores de trabalho com diferentes níveis de exigências e contribuir para a definição de prioridades de intervenção para a preservação da saúde de trabalhadores industriais.

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