[Risk assessment of biomechanical load for the upper limbs in housework].

BACKGROUND: There are few studies in the literature on work-related musculoskeletal disorders among housewives, also due to the difficulties encountered during risk assessment.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was evaluation of the biomechanical load for the upper limbs in housewives' tasks, using the different methods described in the literature.
METHODS: A questionnaire was submitted to 104 women (aged 25-60 years), 62 of whom were housewives only. Twelve subjects accepted to be filmed on video-cameras while working, which was necessary for risk evaluation. A number of tasks were chosen to be evaluated (loading the dishwasher, cleaning kitchen work surfaces, sweeping, cleaning floors, using the vacuum cleaner, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, ironing, making beds) because they were more frequently performed over a day or a week and because they involved specific physical risk factors. The preliminary analysis was based on the search for such risks, identification of "caution zone" housework, and subsequent evaluation by advanced level tools.
RESULTS: Biomechanical risk analysis showed that higher overloads were detected in ironing, cleaning floors and cleaning kitchen worktops but all housework analyzed in this study involved exposure to biomechanical risk when performed for four hours in a day.
CONCLUSION: Housework involves exposure to several risk factors for the musculoskeletal system. Nevertheless, housewives are able to self-organise work and recovery times (even with the limits imposed by family demands) but their activities are characterised by repetitiveness and often by high hand/arm force associated with awkward postures.