A justiça não pode parar?! Os impactos da COVID-19 na trajetória da política de teletrabalho do Judiciário Federal

Ergonomic and psychosocial risks related to musculoskeletal problems among Brazilian labor judges in telework during the COVID-19 pandemic

AbstractObjectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ergonomic and psychosocial risks in telework and their relationship with musculoskeletal problems in Brazilian labor judges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 119 participants. The data were collected through a sociodemographic and occupational questionnaire, from the Brazilian versions of the Maastricht Upper Extremity Questionnaire (MUEQ-Br revised), the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA-Br) and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), added to a numerical pain scale. Results. According to ROSA-Br, 47.06% of the participants showed an outcome where it is considered that there is a need for immediate intervention in the workplace. The results of ROSA-Br and MUEQ-Br revised presented a significant correlation with the intensity of complaints in the neck and shoulders in the last 12 months and in the last seven days. The total score of MUEQ-Br revised presented more important correlations with problems in these body regions and with the intensity of complaints in the upper back, wrists/hands and lower back in both periods. Conclusions. Companies should propose ways to assess the ergonomic and psychosocial risks among their employees in telework as a way to prevent the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems.

Telework during the COVID-19 pandemic: Ergonomic and psychosocial risks among Brazilian labor justice workers

BACKGROUND

The imposition of telework by the COVID-19 pandemic represented a challenge for companies and workers with regard to the management and organization of the workplace at home.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the ergonomic risks, psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal symptoms as well as the relationships between these variables in employees of a Brazilian labor judiciary unit.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out with 55 employees who had their workstations evaluated by means of the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA-Br) and answered a questionnaire of sociodemographic and occupational characterization, the dimensions of workstation and posture of the Maastricht Upper Extremity Questionnaire (MUEQ-Br-revised), the short version of the Job Stress Scale and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ).

RESULTS

The workstations evaluations by ROSA-Br and MUEQ-Br-revised showed a strong correlation between themselves and to body posture, but they were not related to the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Body posture and demands were correlated to each other and with to occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Shoulders, neck and wrists / hands were the most affected body regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Companies that adopt teleworking for their employees must be aware of working conditions at home, including the workload, and offer adequate support in order to prevent the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems.