An ergonomic approach to reorganize parking inspection agents' work productivity, health and safety in São Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
The Traffic Engineering Company of the City of São Paulo (Brazil) observed a decrease in productivity, and an increase in sick leave, accidents and psychological distress among their parking inspection agents. To document this situation, qualitative research was undertaken to obtain an in-depth comprehension of work activity.


METHODS
Workers, managers and health and safety professionals contributed to the documentation of the problem and to the proposal of possible solutions.


METHODS
Ergonomic work analysis focusing on real work activity, as well as interviews with individual or groups of stakeholders, were conducted.


RESULTS
This research revealed that political-economic factors gradually contributed to: 1) an increasing work load; 2) growing fatigue throughout the day, increasing the workers' vulnerability to incidents and accidents and their tendency to react inappropriately to violence experienced on the street; and 3) excessive individual responsibility to manage dangerous situations.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendations to ameliorate the situation are proposed. These suggestions are discussed in terms of feasibility given the impact of macro social factors upon micro work activity, and the associated potential expansion of the ergonomist's role.
Gonçalves
R M A
RM
Occupational Health Investigation and Intervention Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, Speech-language and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Lancman
S
S
Trudel
L
L
Jardim
T A
TA
Sznelwar
L I
LI
Santos
M C
MC
Freeman
Andrew
A
D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006804:Ergonomics; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018582:Sick Leave; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016526:Workload