Siqueira C Eduardo, Roche Andrea Gouveia
College of Public and Community Service, UMass Boston.
Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil.
New Solut. 2013;23(3):505-20. doi: 10.2190/NS.23.3.e.
The occupational health and safety conditions of a sample of Brazilian housecleaners in Massachusetts are examined in this article. We administered a main survey to a convenience sample of 626 Brazilian immigrant workers of all trades and a supplemental survey to 163 Brazilian housecleaners in Massachusetts in 2005 and 2006. Survey questions addressed housecleaner demographics, socioeconomic status, working conditions, and hazards of housecleaning work. Housecleaners are exposed to a variety of ergonomic, chemical, and biological hazards. Professional housecleaners' work is fast-paced, requires awkward postures, and involves repetitive movements, use of force, and heavy lifting. The most common symptoms reported include back pain, and pain in the muscles, arms, legs, neck, shoulder, hands, fingers, and feet. To reduce exposures to occupational hazards, we propose the substitution of green cleaners for toxic chemical cleaning products, the use of ergonomic equipment, the use of personal protective equipment, and changes in work organization.
本文研究了马萨诸塞州巴西家政工人样本的职业健康与安全状况。2005年和2006年，我们对626名各行各业的巴西移民工人便利样本进行了主要调查，并对马萨诸塞州的163名巴西家政工人进行了补充调查。调查问题涉及家政工人的人口统计学、社会经济地位、工作条件以及家政工作的危害。家政工人面临各种人体工程学、化学和生物危害。专业家政工人的工作节奏快，需要采取别扭的姿势，且涉及重复动作、用力和重物搬运。报告的最常见症状包括背痛以及肌肉、手臂、腿部、颈部、肩部、手部、手指和脚部疼痛。为减少职业危害暴露，我们建议用绿色清洁剂替代有毒化学清洁产品，使用符合人体工程学的设备，使用个人防护装备，并改变工作组织方式。
