Cumulative trauma disorders in a meatpacking plant, United States.
Authors
Hales-T; Fine-L; Habes-D; Hornung-R; Boiano-J
Source
Occupational Epidemiology: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health, Tokyo, Japan, October 11-13, 1989. Sakurai H, Okazaki I, Omae-K, eds., New York: Excerpta Medica, 1990 Jun; :247-254
Abstract
An evaluation was undertaken in response to a request regarding the incidence, prevalence, and pattern of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders in employees at a large meatpacking facility. The incidence of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorder rate was 41.7 per 100 full time workers, compared to 6.7 per 100 for the meatpacking industry as a whole. Of the 2,000 employees, 200 were selected to participate in the prevalence study. Upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders were observed in 140 of the 200 selected workers as determined by questionnaire, yielding a 1 year prevalence of 70%. Current cumulative trauma disorders of the upper extremity were noted by 100 of the 200 workers. Hands and wrists were the most frequently affected areas, followed by elbows, shoulders, and neck. Tendinitis, strains, and carpal tunnel syndrome were the most common diagnoses. The authors conclude that the incidence rate and prevalence of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders were high at this facility.
Keywords
Repetitive-work; Physical-stress; Musculoskeletal-system-disorders; Cumulative-trauma-disorders; Meat-packing-industry; Carpal-tunnel-syndrome
Document Type
Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Editors
Sakurai-H; Okazaki-I; Omae-K
NIOSH Division
DSHEFS; DBBS
Priority Area
Musculoskeletal-system-disorders
Source Name
Occupational Epidemiology: Proceedings of the Seventh International Symposium on Epidemiology in Occupational Health, Tokyo, Japan, October 11-13, 1989