WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS AMONG SHEET-METAL WORKERS

We report results of two pilot studies of the relationship between mus culoskeletal disorders and work tasks in sheet metal workers. These tw o studies were undertaken as pilot investigations to determine if symp toms of carpal tunnel syndrome or other work-related musculoskeletal s ymptoms are present in sheet metal workers, and to determine if we cou ld begin to identify the factors in sheet metal work that cause them. In the first study, telephone interviews were conducted with 18 disabl ed sheet metal workers; the second survey entailed self-administered q uestionnaires completed by 47 active and retired sheet metal workers. Among the disabled workers, rotator cuff cases reported the greatest p ercent of time spent hanging duct, an overhead task commonly carried o ut during field work. Carpal tunnel cases reported more hand tool use than the rotator cuff cases. The questionnaire survey of active and re tired workers found the proportion of time spent in a sheet metal shop (contrasted with field work) to be positively associated with hand sy mptoms; sheet metal workers who spent at least 65% of their time in th e shop had an odds ratio of 3.4 for symptomatic hand cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) (p = 0.12). The proportion of time spent hanging duct was positively associated with both neck and shoulder symptoms, with o dds ratios of 7.9 (p = 0.08) and 2.7 (p = 0.16), respectively. The res ults show that symptoms of neck, arm, and hand pain are common in shee t metal workers who are actively working, that carpal tunnel syndrome or hand pain is positively associated with more time spent working in the shop, and that shoulder pain or shoulder injuries is associated wi th work overhead (hanging duct). Ergonomic risks and cumulative trauma disorders have not been well characterized in the construction indust ry; these data strongly suggest that a subset of work tasks in constru ction increase the risk of cumulative trauma disorders. (C) 1995 Wiley -Liss, Inc.