Pour une prévention durable des troubles musculosquelettiques chez des travailleuses saisonnières : prise en compte du travail réel

Début de la saison de travail : une période critique pour la santé des travailleuses et des travailleurs saisonniers

“…The determinants were especially related to the high working expectations in place at the start of the season after a long off-season period, working rhythms imposed by the speed of the machines involved, a significant volume of production required immediately as work started up again, an assigned rotation through similar workstations all involving awkward postures and an intense working rhythm, as well as having to work in a difficult physical setting (cold, damp, drafty). These determinants agree with those raised in other studies looking at the context of seasonal work [2,8,[32][33][34] and in particular in the sector of food processing [9][10][11]15,24].…”

“…Some of the challenging conditions reported by seasonal workers include: long working hours, many consecutive working days without a day off, high intensity of work, repetitive tasks, as well as short working cycles [4,[7][8][9]. Furthermore, the work is often conducted in conditions involving extreme temperatures (cold or hot) and elevated noise levels, the frequent and prolonged use of vibrating tools, and a working rhythm dictated by the speed of the machinery involved [2,[8][9][10][11]. The physical strain and the organizational, environmental, and time-related constraints are generally "endured" by seasonal workers "because they only last for the length of the season" [4 p.95].…”

“…Seasonal work is characterized by the alternating pattern of a "working season" and an "off-season" [2,4,8]. During the working season, tasks are often conducted in unpredictable, fluctuating, and intense conditions [2,9,[11][12][13] that impact the musculoskeletal health of the workers [4,14,15]. According to a literature review of this issue [14], seasonal workers report WRMSDs in several body regions (ex: back, shoulders, knees, neck, etc.)…”