[Aging and work: health aspects in cleaners]

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Gerontology
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Growing interest in the relationship between aging and work due to increased health risks for older workers.
• Age-related imbalances between physical workload and capacity can lead to negative health outcomes.
• The cleaning industry, with its physically demanding nature, serves as a relevant model for studying aging in the workforce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among aging cleaning workers.
• To identify potential contributing factors to MSDs in this demographic, including work organization and tool ergonomics.
• To propose evidence-based solutions for mitigating health risks in the aging cleaning workforce.

Main Methods:

• Utilized standardized questionnaires and protocols for data collection.
• Collected anamnestic and clinical data from participants.
• Focused on identifying specific musculoskeletal issues in the elbow, wrist/hand, and cervical spine.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated an increased prevalence of disorders affecting the elbow, wrist/hand, and cervical spine in aging cleaning workers.
• Indicated that work organization and non-ergonomic tools may contribute to these MSDs.
• Highlighted the vulnerability of aging female cleaning workers, often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Conclusions:

• Work organization and tool design are critical factors influencing MSDs in aging cleaning staff.
• Recommendations include adjustments to workload, enhanced health surveillance, and improved ergonomic measures.
• Addressing these factors can help protect the health of the aging working population in physically demanding sectors.