Exposure to musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks in SME workers, Antofagasta, Chile, 2021-2022

In Chile, small and medium-sized enterprises employ approximately 5,000,000 workers, of whom only 10% are formally protected from accidents and occupational diseases, and there is little information on their exposure to occupational hazards and demographic characteristics.

To identify some occupational musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks and sociodemographic characteristics in small and medium-sized enterprises workers in the region of Antofagasta, Chile.

Using a descriptive and exploratory design, their sociodemographic characteristics and the jobs of a sample of 273 workers were evaluated to determine the risks due to manual handling of loads, work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders, and psychosocial factors. A sociodemographic survey, the technical guide of the Ministry of Labor, the technical standard and checklist of the Ministry of Health, and the Superintendencia de Seguridad Social/Instituto Sindical de Trabajo, Ambiente y Salud questionnaire of the Superintendency of Social Security were used.

Overall, 23% of workers presented normal body mass index, 11.7% were at risk for manual handling of loads, and 16.9% at risk for work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders. The greatest prevalence of psychosocial risk was observed in the double presence dimension (46.89%). A relationship was only found between psychological demands and compensation dimensions and the job positions and between psychological demands and economic activity.

Risk for manual handling of loads and work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders was found in mining service companies, in men with technical and blue-collar positions, and in those with high psychosocial risk in the double presence dimension. An association was identified between two psychosocial dimensions with the workers' positions and the economic activity of their company.