Proceso multidisciplinario aplicado al análisis de una actividad en un entorno dinámico : la conducción de un vehículo ligero en el servicio postal para la distribución de correo y paquetes

Abstract

Perspectives interdisciplinaires sur le travail et la santé 20-2 | 2018 BoulotMultidisciplnary approach applied to activity analysis within a dynamic setting: driving light vehicles for postal delivery of mail and parcels Démarche multidisciplinaire appliquée à l'analyse d'une activité dans un environnement dynamique : la conduite de véhicules légers à La Poste pour la distribution du courrier et des colis Proceso multidisciplinario aplicado al análisis de una actividad en un entorno dinámico : la conducción de un vehículo ligero en el servicio postal para la distribución de correo y paquetes

Low Back Pain and Upper-Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders in French Postal Workers Driving Light-Duty Vehicles for Mail and Parcel Delivery

“…As no specific, validated tool for the assessment of exposure to occupational driving was identified from the literature [20], potential musculoskeletal risk factors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that had been designed on the basis of the exploratory activity analysis study [13]. The assessment of occupational factors included driving-related factors, physical constraints unrelated to driving, and psychosocial factors.…”

“…We found for men as well as for women that risk factors for MSDs, and especially for UEMSDs, were mostly related to the type of area served, with a higher level of risk in rural rather than in urban/mixed settings. Compared to rural rounds, urban/suburban rounds involve driving short distances with exits from the driver's compartment half the time [13]. This may explain the longer time spent driving in rural rounds, whilst driving time was reported as a risk factor of LBP (>4 h/day in taxi drivers [34] or ≥10 h/week in commercial travelers [35]).…”

“…Nevertheless, in our study, the duration of the delivery round was negatively associated with LBP, no matter the type of area served, while the distance of rural rounds was positively related to UEMSDs. We assume that the declarative duration of the delivery round could be more subjective than its distance, since it may depend on traffic issues [13].…”

“…At the time of this study, the number of employees in the French postal company (La Poste group) involved about 6000 operators exclusively driving LDVs for the delivery of parcels in urban/semi-urban settings, about 9000 operators in rural settings delivering parcels by using LDVs among other activities, and about 81,000 operators delivering mail and parcels by foot or using 2-, 3-, or 4-wheelers. An exploratory activity analysis within this company [13] showed that the use of LDVs for postal delivery was only one element in a broader framework that includes phases surrounding delivery rounds, i.e., sorting and loading mail/parcels before and activities at the postal center while returning from rounds. Moreover, the delivery process itself was composed of a repeated series of actions: driving and maneuvering the vehicle, short or long stops, and exiting the driver's compartment for the delivery activities.…”