Active microbreak effects on musculoskeletal comfort ratings in meatpacking plants

This study was conducted to examine whether a system of active microbreaks can reduce the discomfort perceived by employees in a meatpacking plant. Moreover, the relationship between the discomfort perceived on the job and musculoskeletal capability was investigated. Twenty-eight men employed in a local meatpacking plant participated in a study conducted over a period of four weeks. Results indicated that active microbreaks significantly reduced the level of discomfort perceived by employees during the course of the working day. The subjective ratings of perceived discomfort correlated significantly with anthropometric, strength and background information (R2 = 0.66). The physical characteristics of Caucasian employees were higher than those of their Hispanic counterparts. Moreover, the physical characteristics of meatpacking employees were significantly lower than those reported in the literature for employees engaged in manual handling tasks.