ESTUDIO DE POSTURAS FORZADAS EN SOLDADORES INDUSTRIALES DE ARCO ELÉCTRICO Y SU RELACIÓN CON TRASTORNOS MÚSCULO ESQUELÉTICOS EN UNA PLANTA PAPELERA.

Abstract

The objective of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was to determine the relationship between forced postures in industrial arc welders and musculo-skeletal disorders in a paper mill. In relation to the instruments, the REBA method (Rapid Evaluation of the whole body) was used in order to determine the ergonomic risk work factor for postures, and the standardized Nordic questionnaire to determine the musculoskeletal symptomatology in the welders. The data was analyzed in the SPSS software, version 23. Through the application of the REBA method, the working conditions were evaluated, where five postures of greater relevance were obtained and analyzed for their repetitiveness in the activities performed by the welders, revealing a level medium risk (20%), high (20%), and very high (60%) in the positions adopted by the welder. While the results obtained by the Nordic questionnaire reported a higher prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in wrists, lower back and neck. By applying the Pearson correlation analysis between the affectation of the most significant anatomical regions and the five most important forced postures, 0.874 was obtained, which indicates that there is a high positive relationship between the variables, therefore the study It shows that the studied population presented high postural risk and high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in different body regions.