A COMPUTERIZED METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISCOMFORT INTHE WORKFORCE - A TOOL FOR SURVEILLANCE

A musculoskeletal discomfort survey was conducted to assess musculoske letal discomforts among rural mail carriers in two post offices. Perce ived musculoskeletal discomfort was collected directly from the workfo rce by means of a computerized discomfort assessment system (DAS). Thi s investigation aimed at: (1) assessing the rural mail carrier's perce ption of DAS; and (2) assessing the rural mail carrier's musculoskelet al discomforts resulting from work. Most participants in the study fou nd the computer tool easy to learn and easy to use. The information co llected by DAS was used: (1) to determine the number of participating employees who were experiencing some kind of musculoskeletal problem; (2) to determine subtasks associated with discomfort; (3) to determine the body areas most affected by different subtasks; and (4) to invest igate the patterns of discomfort that occurred with time.