OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the working conditions of a hospital food service before and after ergonomic interventions and their impact on the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms. METHODS: This case study was performed in a public heart hospital in São Paulo , Brazil with 115 workers. The data were collected by questionnaires and ergonomic analysis of the work before and after the intervention. The data were statistically analyzed by the software SPSS 13.0 and Excel 2003 to verify symptom prevalence before and after the interventions. RESULTS: The workers were female nutrition attendants aged 25-34 years, with secondary education, married, with children. Most of the problems regarded limited space, inappropriate equipment and work materials, inadequate number of workers, intense mental effort and high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms, mainly in the lower limbs and shoulders. Once the working conditions improved, musculoskeletal symptoms decreased and all workers noted the changes made to the physical environment, equipment and work organization. CONCLUSION: The interventions promoted improvements in the work environment and equipment and reduced the musculoskeletal symptoms experienced in the lower limbs, shoulders, neck, forearm and lower back, although this reduction was not statistically significant.
Working conditions; Occupational diseases; Occupational health; Food service; Workers
