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Brazil is the leader in poultry meat exports, in which most products are in the form of cuts. This study analyzed the exertion perception of poultry slaughterhouses workers when performing cutting tasks, as well as the influence of knife sharpness on the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders by Occupational Repetitive Action (OCRA) method. Participants ( n = 101) from three slaughterhouses were asked to rate their perceived exertion on the Borg scale during the cutting task when the knife was well and poorly sharpened. The OCRA results showed that the score for cutting with a dull knife was greater (43.57 ± 13.51) than with a sharp knife (23.79 ± 3.10) ( p < 0.001). Consequently, there was a significant increase in the risk level of acquiring upper-limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders (UL-WMSD) by using a "poorly sharpened" knife (29%; p < 0.001; Borg scale 2-8). Thus, maintaining well-sharpened knives for optimal performance of the cutting task (fewer technical actions) is suggested, as well as including knife sharpening in the standard operating procedure to reduce musculoskeletal disorders.

This study was conducted with 90 poultry slaughterhouse workers, which perform the function of removing chicken parts from the conveyor belt, and sample was composed of 66 women (33.5 ± 6.5 years) and 24 men (35.7 ± 7.2 years), aiming to analyze the influence of anthropometry in the shoulder joint of these workers. Body discomfort was evaluated by a human body diagram, being applied at the end of the work shift. The anthropometric measurement of shoulder was performed by measuring the height of the acromion process, being compared with the height of the conveyor belt. Analysis of the results was performed by descriptive statistics, mean, standard deviation, percentage and percentiles 5%, 50% and 95%. It was found that the height of the conveyor belt was 1.74 meters, while the average shoulder height of workers was 1.38 meters for percentile 5%, 1.41 meters for percentile 50% and 1.65 meters for percentile 95%. The discomfort regions were shoulder 45%, neck 29%, column 26%, arms 23%, and wrists and hand 20%. The upper limb assessment was performed with percentile 5% through the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment method, resulting in a final score > 7, indicating the need for adjustments of the work organization. It was concluded that the workplace does not meet the workers' anthropometric characteristics, mainly affecting the shoulder joint, and correction ergonomics becomes necessary so that the workers involved in this study can perform their functions with health, comfort and safety.

Brazil has the main producers and exporters of chicken meat, which is classified as the third largest world chicken meat producer and lead exporter. This study aimed at analyzing the body discomfort perception in poultry slaughterhouse workers and its associations with the task characteristics. The study included 290 workers, 200 women (34.7 ± 7.7 years) and 90 men (36.8 ± 8.2 years). A body map for evaluating discomfort and an interview regarding organizational issues and criteria of the OCRA method were used. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test (p ≤ 0.05) were used. It was found that 87.6% of respondents performed repetitive tasks, 86.2% performed rest breaks, 82.8% performed job rotation (2-7 tasks) and 61% used tools. It was also found that 67.2% felt discomfort in at least one body region, and the symptoms most often reported were pain, fatigue and tingling. The body regions most frequently cited were: shoulders (62.6%), neck (46.2%), spine (36.4%), forearms (31.3%), arms (29.2%), wrists (25.6%) and hands (25.6%). In sectors artificially cold (n = 204), 54.1% felt cold. There was no association between body discomfort and gender, task characteristics, performance of rest breaks and job rotation, use of tools and time working in the company; however, there was association with cold perception (p = 0.035).