Ergonomic analysis of biomechanical overloading: external coating activity using mortar

Abstract

The economic growth of a country is directly linked to the growth of several sectors, in which the construction sector is prominent. The objective was to investigate by means of ergonomic analysis the external coating activity performed on building façades, due to its high degree of difficulty. The methodological approach was composed by a review of the literature and quantitative research using the OCRA checklist method, highlighting the biomechanical overload risk analysis of the external coating activity in mortar based on International Standard ISO 11228-3: 2009. The data collection took place in construction sites in Brazil in the cities of Ponta Grossa-PR and Porto Alegre-RS applying the mentioned method. The results of demand illustrate the concepts presented in the review, as well as the confirmation of the incidence of pain and lesions in the upper limbs and the repetitiveness in the analyzed activities. The results indicate that: a) the analysis of the chosen activity resulted in a high level of risk applying the immediate intervention, with improvements; b) proof by calculating the risk of biomechanical overload to implement improvements in the company; c) evidence that the improvements resulted in a reduction of ergonomic risks by more than 50%, with improvement in posture and strength requirements. In turn, the relevance of this work is highlighted, as it enables the development of public and private policies in the area of ergonomics with the purpose of developing the sector. In the end, the work opens up possibilities for the continuity of the research on the addressed topic.