Effect of Knife Use and Overlapping Gloves on Finger Temperature of Poultry Slaughterhouse Workers

Adriana Seára Tirloni, Diogo Cunha dos Reis () and Antônio Renato Pereira Moro
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Adriana Seára Tirloni: Labor Prosecution Service, PRT12, Florianópolis 88025-255, SC, Brazil
Diogo Cunha dos Reis: Biomechanics Laboratory, CDS, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil
Antônio Renato Pereira Moro: Biomechanics Laboratory, CDS, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, SC, Brazil

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Brazilian poultry slaughterhouses employ many workers, consequently exposing them to various ergonomic risks. This study aimed to analyze the effects of knife use and overlapping gloves on the finger temperatures of poultry slaughterhouse workers. Employees ( n = 571) from seven Brazilian poultry slaughterhouses participated in this cross-sectional study. A Flir ® T450SC infrared camera was used to record thermographic images of the workers’ hands. The workers were interviewed about work organization, cold thermal sensations, and the perception of upper-limb musculoskeletal discomfort. Dependent and independent sample t -tests and binary logistic regression models were applied. The results proved that the workers wore up to five overlapping gloves and had at least one finger with temperatures of ?15 °C (46.6%) or ?24 °C (98.1%). Workers that used a knife and wore a chainmail (CM) glove on their non-dominant hand had average finger temperatures significantly colder on the palmar surface than the anti-cut (AC) glove group ( p = 0.029). The chance of one worker who wore a CM glove to have finger temperatures of ?15 °C was 2.26 times greater than a worker who wore an AC glove. Those who wore an AC glove and those wearing a CM glove presented average overall finger temperatures significantly lower on the non-dominant hand (products) than the dominant hand (knife) ( p < 0.001).

Keywords: thermography; skin temperature; gloves; personal protective equipment; slaughterhouse; risk assessment; ergonomics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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