Resumo

VELASCO TENORIO, María del Rosario  e  NORIEGA ELIO, Mariano. Assessment of Causes of Accidents and Illness in a Glass Factory. Salud de los Trabajadores [online]. 2006, vol.14, n.1, pp.5-17. ISSN 1315-0138.

This study examined the relationship between workplace tasks and worker health in a glass factory in Mexico City. Studies in other countries have concentrated on associations between fiberglass and malignant and non-malignant diseases including pharyngeal, lung, gastric and renal cancers, skin problems and other diseases of the respiratory system. The glass manufacturing process also entails a number of occupational risks and health hazards which have not been sufficiently addressed. The study was observational, cross-sectional and analytical. Three instruments were applied; a task guide, in-depth interviews with key informants and individual questionnaires. Noise, light and temperature conditions to which workers are exposed were also assessed. The study population consisted of 162 male workers from a target population of 192. The non-response rate was 15.6%. The main risk factors these workers are subject to are ergonomics, inadequate safety measures, long workdays and exposure to noise and dust. The most common health problems they suffer are occupational injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, fatigue, and irritative syndromes involving the eyes, skin and respiratory system. The most important associations found were between ergonomic demands and inadequate safety measures, and between workplace accidents, musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue. It was concluded that the factory was highly hazardous to worker health. Several significant intervention measures were proposed to counter the problems found in the study.

Palavras-chave : Work; glass workers; occupational health; epidemiology.