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ISSN 1051-9815 (P)
ISSN 1875-9270 (E)
Impact Factor 2024: 1.7
WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary, international journal which publishes high quality peer-reviewed manuscripts covering the entire scope of the occupation of work. The journal's subtitle has been deliberately laid out: The first goal is the prevention of illness, injury, and disability. When this goal is not achievable, the attention focuses on assessment to design client-centered intervention, rehabilitation, treatment, or controls that use scientific evidence to support best practice.
WORK occasionally publishes thematic issues, but in general, issues cover a wide range of topics such as ergonomic considerations with children, youth and students, the challenges facing an aging workforce, workplace violence, injury management, performing artists, ergonomic product evaluations, and the awareness of the political, cultural, and environmental determinants of health related to work.
Dr. Karen Jacobs, the founding editor, and her editorial board especially encourage the publication of research studies, clinical practice, case study reports, as well as personal narratives and critical reflections of lived work experiences (autoethnographic/autobiographic scholarship),
Sounding Board commentaries and
Speaking of Research articles which provide the foundation for better understanding research to facilitate knowledge dissemination.
Narrative Reflections on Occupational Transitions, a new column, is for persons who have successfully transitioned into, between, or out of occupations to tell their stories in a narrative form. With an internationally renowned editorial board,
WORK maintains high standards in the evaluation and publication of manuscripts. All manuscripts are reviewed expeditiously and published in a timely manner.
WORK prides itself on being an author-friendly journal.
WORK celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.
*WORK is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)* *WORK is endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)* *WORK gives out the yearly Cheryl Bennett Best Paper Award*
Abstract: Considering the goal of Ergonomic Work Analysis to establish, from the point of view of workers, safe, healthy, comfortable and efficient environments, this study propose to analyze the work situation of machine operators at five joineries from Florianópolis-SC. For this, it was applied the LEST Method to evaluate the task made by the operators, considering the physical, cognitive and organizational work environment. As results, it was identified the main ergonomics problems of these workstations, presenting an ergonomic diagnosis and their implications on health and safety of workers. As result, it was concluded that the main ergonomics problems at joineries are…related with noise, with constant load of weight and with the postures taken. Besides these problems, others were diagnosed, for example, the pressure for workers to comply strictly the task stipulated and also the poor training and capacity of workers.
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Keywords: Ergonomics, joineries, LEST method
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0846-5439
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5439-5441, 2012
Abstract: Due to Brazil is a tropical country has activities in occupational exposure to cold restricted to few sectors especially the meatpacking industry. Taking into account that the country in 2010, was again the largest exporter of poultry meat in the world and consequently employing a large number of workers for their slaughter and processing. The search for greater productivity can result in an increase in work rate, as indicated in this sector as monotonous, repetitive and uncomfortable. According the Programa de Frigorífico it was found that within six years, about 20% of the six thousand workers in a slaughterhouse in…southern Brazil, received welfare benefits due to musculoskeletal diseases. Adding to this, the lack of parameters for the Brazilian standardization concerning occupational activities carried out in cold. Although several epidemiological studies point to the cold as a risk factor for occurrence or aggravation of musculoskeletal disorders, research in this field is still limited and often contradictory conclusions. This article aims to review developments concerning the poultry industry and the fridge in Brazil, as well as raising the question about the increased productivity of the slaughterhouse, since it has already shown a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders related to work.
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Abstract: The goal of this paper is to present the ergonomic process of an automotive company, whose focus is on the adaptation of the work conditions to the psychophysiological characteristics of its employees. The planning and the development of the ergonomic actions took place in three distinctive stages: ergonomic analysis of the work post (stage 1), ergonomic adaptations (stage 2) and Ergonomic Committee (stage 3). The activities started in June 2006 and have lasted to the current date, keeping a permanent improving process. The procedure adopted was based on the ergonomic analysis methodology proposed by Wisner (1994:1997) and the stages of…the Ergonomic Analysis of Work presented in the 17 NR Regulatory Manual (MET, 2002). The paper’s approach focused on the voluntary participation of workers from different areas and different hierarchical levels of the organization throughout all the stages of the process. The methodological procedures included descriptive research techniques, exploratory and qualitative research criteria, background and guidelines available in literature and legislation, as well as company information. Among the main results it can be mentioned the satisfaction of the employees regarding the appropriate work conditions, cultural and organizational changes and the creation of an Ergonomic Committee in the company.
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Abstract: The growing concern for the welfare of workers in the work environment, the importance of widespread use of ergonomics in the different sectors of industry. Yet most corporate practices that work with rudimentary or great need for human handling of materials is not fully in line with the ergonomic aspects. Given this, this article aims to identify ergonomic hazards in mining to later propose improvements in the process. After a series conducted plant visits, found that workers are exposed to various ergonomic risks, which entails the need for new healthy practices in the workplace. Finally, a series of proposals are…submitted in order to avoid possible occupational diseases.
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Keywords: Risks, solution, health
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0850-5453
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5453-5455, 2012
Abstract: The education in Brazil is still strongly based on traditional teaching methods that reinforce a passive attitude of the student. Despite the educational guidelines indicate the need for more liberating and interdisciplinary methodologies, there are few actions for change. Within this context, interdisciplinary appears as an important tool to help the creation of a new thinking in education, proposing the connection between the parts of an area of knowledge. In this way leading the student to develop a more critical and reflective thinking about the reality of the community where he lives. Being understood ergonomics as a scientific discipline that…looks for the interactions among humans and other elements of a system in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance, interdisciplinary has become essential in this process. The aim of this study was to discuss the educational foundations of interdisciplinarity and their applicability in the teaching of ergonomics in the context of Brazil.
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Keywords: Problem-based learning, higher education, interdisciplinarity, Ergonomics, Brazil
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0851-5456
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5456-5458, 2012
Abstract: Shift workers from control centers of electrical systems are a group that has received little attention in Brazil. This study aimed to compare workers' job satisfaction at five control centers of a Brazilian company electrical system, and according to their job titles. Method: The Organization Satisfaction Index (OSI) questionnaire to assess job satisfaction was used. ANOVA was used to compare OSI means, according to job title and control center. The results showed that there is no difference in job satisfaction among job titles, but a significant difference was found according to the control center. A single organizational culture cannot be…applied to several branches. It is required to implement actions that would result in job satisfaction improvements among workers of all studied control rooms centers. The high level of education of operators working in all centers might have contributed to the similar values of perceived satisfaction among distinct job titles.
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Keywords: job satisfaction, electrical systems, organization culture, work organization
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0852-5459
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5459-5461, 2012
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyze the importance and applicability of ARMflex® in the odontological area and its influence in preventing or stopping the involuntary habit of improperly positioning the hand under the face or under the pillow. The ergonomic usage of ARMflex® influences the design in odontological areas and innovates in the semi-immobilization of the patient to prevent future orthodontic problems.
Abstract: This article presents the description and discussion of a pilot project in an ergonomic action developed in a public health institution. This project involves the implantation of an Ergonomics Program (PROERGO) in a department of this institution, guided by a methodology structured on six stages, referenced in the literature by ergonomics authors. The methodology includes the training of workers and the formation of facilitators and multipliers of the ergonomics actions, aiming to the implementation of a cyclical process of actions and the consolidation of an ergonomics culture in the organization. Starting from the results of this experiment we intend to…replicate this program model in other departments of the institution and to propose the methodology applied as a strategy of intervention to Occupational Health area.
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Keywords: Ergonomics Program, Occupational Health, Public Institution
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0854-5465
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5465-5467, 2012
Abstract: Firefighters are exposed to a wide range of risks, among them, biological risk. The objective was to analyze working conditions of firefighters in the city of Campo Grande, MS, Brazil, focusing on risk conditions of exposure to biological material. Three hundred and seven (307) firefighters were interviewed for data collection and observed for ergonomic job analysis (AET). Results: 63.5% of the firefighters suffered some kind of job related accident with blood or body fluids. Statistically significant association was found between having suffered accidents at work and incomplete use of personal protective equipment (PPE). About AET regarding the biological risks, 57.1%…of all patients had blood or secretions, which corresponds in average to 16.0% of the total work time, based on a working day of 24 h. Besides biological risks, other stressing factors were identified: emergency and complexity of decision, high responsibility regarding patients and environment, and conflicts. Health promotion and accident prevention actions must be emphasized as measures to minimize these risks.
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Keywords: Ergonomics, Personal Protective Equipment (PEE), blood, firemen, biological risks
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0855-5468
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 5468-5470, 2012
