Evaluation of accidents indicators as ergonomic intervention proposition in a chicken slaughterhouse

Abstract

The slaughterhouse industry makes Brazil a major producer and exporter of meat. In this perspective, this industry keeps in constant pursuit of competitiveness, and the activities within this sector are intensified to achieve greater productivity which results in occupational diseases and injury hazards. In order to propose measures that can contribute to the reduction of occupational accidents in poultry slaughterhouse, this research aims to evaluate and propose demands of ergonomic interventions based on accident numbers that occurred in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 in a poultry slaughterhouse located in the region of São José – SC. The study is a field research with documental analysis and with the use of the inductive method. The data were evaluated quantitatively using spreadsheet and graphics. The results show that the total of 161 accidents assessed, the accidents with cuts were those with the highest number of cases. The causative agent that generated most accidents was the use of knives and the most affected part of the body was the upper limbs. The results show that the slaughterhouse presents demands of ergonomic interventions to adapt working conditions with a focus on reducing workplace accidents.