Participatory work design for a new selective collection facility

This article summarises the results of an action research carried out in response to a rapid relocation of an Association of Recyclable Material Collectors in Brazil. The study addresses the challenge of conducting participatory ergonomics in an urgent and informal context through the use of intermediary objects and examines their methodological role under such conditions. The results show that these objects support interaction processes, depending on their level of complexity. The intervention led to changes in the location of equipment and the redefinition of workflows, resulting in improved workplace safety. The findings demonstrate how work transformation and methodological development can be jointly achieved in constrained contexts, providing transferable insights for similar interventions.