Musculoskeletal disorders among waste pickers in sorting cooperatives in São Paulo, Brazil

Waste pickers are exposed to numerous occupational risks, including ergonomic risks.

To verify the occurrence of self-reported musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors among waste pickers working in sorting cooperatives.

This cross-sectional study included a convenience sample of waste pickers from four cooperatives in metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil. Observations were made of their work environments and processes; a questionnaire was applied to characterize socioeconomic and organizational status, as well as the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. After descriptive analysis, univariate and multivariate regression were used to identify risk factors associated with work-related pain and discomfort in the last 12 months.

A total of 250 waste pickers were included, mostly women (62%) aged 41 to 59 years (53%) who were Black or of mixed race (66.4%) and had low education. There was a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among waste pickers from all cooperatives, with 163 (65%) reporting pain and discomfort. The cooperatives had similar production processes, but different structures and operating conditions. Working in a cooperative with worse infrastructure, prior work-related accidents, and having a prior occupation were identified as the main risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders.

Cooperatives with precarious structure and working conditions partially explain the high proportion of waste pickers with musculoskeletal disorders, reinforcing the need for initiatives and policies to promote decent and safe work, thus improving the health and quality of waste pickers.