Risk of WRMSD, Work Fatigue and Burn in Ironing Professionals

Abstract

The ironing professionals are exposed to several professional risk factors. In the act of “ironing” we can highlight the static standing posture, the repetitive movements with the dominant upper limb and the high temperature of the equipment used. This study assesses the risk of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD), burns and work fatigue in ironing workers. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to collect information on work fatigue and musculoskeletal symptoms, as well as the REBA method for assessing the postures adopted by workers. The results show that there is a WRMSD risk, especially when ironing with the traditional iron. The workers report symptoms of bodily discomfort in areas like: neck, dorsal, lumbar, right shoulder, wrist and knee, and in both ankles. In view of those results, control measures were proposed to eliminate and / or reduce the professional risks.