[Risk assessment of work-related upper limb musculoskeletal disorders in thirty factories in the upholstered furniture industry].

BACKGROUND

One of the most common procedures for risk assessment of upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders (UL-WMSDs) in Italy is the OCRA synthetic index, which is recommended as the preferred method in the ISO standard 11228-3.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the survey was to assess the risk of UL-WMSDs due to repetitive strain and movements in thirty factories of the sofa industry located in a large geographic area of southern Italy.

METHODS

The most characteristic working tasks of the manufacturing process were studied: filling preparation workers, leather-cutting operators, sewing and upholstery-assembly workers. The single tasks were carried out almost exclusively manually, with features of a handicraft approach. Data were collected through questionnaires and video tape recordings in each factory. The mean value of the OCRA index of every group of factories was calculated by weighting the values of the index of each single task group with the number of the workers.

RESULTS

Figures obtained in the different factories showed values of the OCRA index ranging between 4 and 15. A 2,9 OCRA value was attributed to a low exposure group.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though the work tasks analyzed were characterized by long duration of the manufacturing cycle (between 5 and 60 min), a particular but rigorous application of the OCRA procedures made it possible for a detailed risk assessment to be made for each of the working groups analysed.