title: Ergonomic risk exposure and upper-extremity cumulative trauma disorders in a maquiladora medical devices manufacturing plant.
abstract: Workers at a Nogales, Mexico, maquiladora plant that assembles medical devices were studied to determine the prevalence of upper-extremity cumulative trauma disorders (CTD). Subjects included production workers employed 6 months or longer; of the 148 eligible workers, 145 (98%) participated. Subjects had a mean age of 24.6 years (SD = 5.2; range, 17 to 45) and the mean length of employment was 3.5 years (SD = 2.5; range, 0.5 to 14). Job tasks were videotaped and analyzed for ergonomic risk factors, using pre-defined criteria. All jobs performed by study subjects were found to involve one or more ergonomic risk factors associated with the development of CTD. A CTD questionnaire and screening physical examination format, similar to that used by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in a chicken processing plant study, were administered. Period prevalence of CTD within the previous year, as reported on the questionnaire, was 28%. Prevalence of CTD was 17%, using data from the screening physical examination. Point prevalence (current pain data from the questionnaire plus positive symptoms on the screening physical examination) was 15%. CTD was reported more frequently in women than men (46% and 25%, respectively; P < 0.05) and in subjects who had worked at the plant less than one year (50%; P < 0.05). Workforce turnover (3% monthly) may have resulted in those affected by CTD leaving employment, reducing the apparent CTD rate in experienced workers.
authors.affiliation: University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City 84112, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meservy
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Suruda
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bloswick
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dumas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012090:Cumulative Trauma Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors