[Carpal tunnel syndrome in workers engaged in the assembly of manufactured products in various industries in the province of Brescia].
Tests were carried out on five manual assembly departments in a variety of different factories, in order to assess the risks associated with the onset of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and to describe the prevalence of this disorder among exposed workers. The application of the risk analysis method proposed by the EPM Research Unit in Milan (Italy) demonstrated the presence of numerous jobs featuring both a high frequency of actions per minute and a total lack of recovery times, in addition to a variety of incongrous upper limb postures. The clinical and instrumental investigation diagnosed 76 cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome among the 170 exposed workers. 62% of the cases was bilateral and 24% was associated with Guyon Channel Syndrome. In two of the five departments reviewed, the carpal tunnel disorders detected were endemic, and featured unusually high prevalence. The situation had been seriously underestimated by the company technical and medical staff, resulting in a failure to call for the urgent adoption of individual protection and collective prevention measures. The authors recommend that an extensive and adequate occupational risk assessment analysis be performed: the local occupational health services could play a critical role in identifying the highest risk industries and the diseases diagnosed in a hospital environment.
Barbieri
P G
PG
U.O. Tutela della Salute nei Luoghi di Lavoro, Azienda USSL 14, Chiari, Brescia.
D000328:Adult; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
Sindrome del tunnel carpale in addetti all'assemblaggio di manufatti vari nell'industria del bresciano.