Deparatment of Occupational Health, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, 1–1 Yanagido, Gifu, Japan.
Ind Health. 2011;49(4):464-74. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.ms1201. Epub 2011 Jun 21.
Subjective musculoskeletal symptoms are more frequently complained about in cold store work and in related conditions than those experienced in normal temperature work. This cross sectional study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of indoor cooling and cold storage goods on the prevalence of subjective symptoms in summer. Female workers sorting cold storage goods (exposed group) were the main subjects of this study (n=47). We also included a group of female workers engaged sorting dry goods as the unexposed to cold group (n=86). Work load for the two groups were estimated according to the recommended criteria. A self-administered questionnaire covering age, occupational career, smoking, alcohol drinking and physical exercise, present or past history of diseases, individual protective measures against cold or heat, and subjective symptoms (60 items) was used. The air temperature of the site at the start of working time for the workers sorting cold storage goods was 22.2℃ which was significantly lower than those measured for the other two work places (25.4℃ and 25.4℃) of the unexposed to cold group. Environmental temperatures at the foot level at the sorting workshop of cold storage goods and dry goods were ca.16℃ and 26℃ all day, respectively. The surface temperatures of cold storage goods were between -2.8℃ and 9.4℃. The surface temperature of dry goods was 26.5℃. Among the working characteristic items, only daily working hours in the exposed group (5.6 ± 0.6 h) were significantly longer than those in the unexposed to cold group (4.6 ± 0.9 h) (p<0.01). The prevalence rates of finger cold sensation, stiffness in the fingers, pain in the wrist, pain in the elbow, back dullness, back pain, low-back cold sensation, foot cold sensation and pain in the foot in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the unexposed to cold group (p<0.05 or p<0.01). Pain in the fingers, numbness in the fingers, pain in the foot and foot numbness due to the cold in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the unexposed to cold group (p<0.05 or p<0.01). These results suggest that indoor cooling and/or job activities related to cold storage goods could, to some extent, affect peripheral circulatory disturbances; and it could be regarded as a factor related to musculoskeletal symptoms among the exposed workers.
主观的肌肉骨骼症状在冷藏工作中和相关条件下比在正常温度工作中更频繁地被抱怨。这项横断面研究旨在评估室内冷却和冷藏货物对夏季主观症状的流行程度的影响。从事冷藏货物分拣工作的女性工人（暴露组）是本研究的主要对象（n=47）。我们还包括一组从事干货分拣工作的女性工人作为未接触冷藏组（n=86）。根据推荐标准估计两组的工作量。使用一份自我管理的问卷，涵盖年龄、职业生涯、吸烟、饮酒和体育锻炼、现病史或过去病史、个体对冷热的保护措施以及主观症状（60 项）。从事冷藏货物分拣工作的工人开始工作时的现场空气温度为 22.2℃，明显低于未接触冷藏组的其他两个工作场所（25.4℃和 25.4℃）的测量值。冷藏货物分拣车间脚部水平的环境温度全天分别约为 16℃和 26℃。冷藏货物的表面温度在-2.8℃至 9.4℃之间。干货的表面温度为 26.5℃。在工作特征项目中，只有暴露组的每日工作时间（5.6±0.6 小时）明显长于未接触冷藏组（4.6±0.9 小时）（p<0.01）。暴露组手指发冷、手指僵硬、手腕疼痛、肘部疼痛、腰背钝痛、背痛、腰部发冷、脚冷和脚部疼痛的患病率明显高于未接触冷藏组（p<0.05 或 p<0.01）。暴露组手指疼痛、手指麻木、脚部疼痛和脚部因冷而麻木的患病率明显高于未接触冷藏组（p<0.05 或 p<0.01）。这些结果表明，室内冷却和/或与冷藏货物相关的工作活动可能在一定程度上影响外周循环障碍；并且可以将其视为暴露工人肌肉骨骼症状的相关因素。
