ERGONOMIC STUDY OF SYSTEMS IN WORK PROCESSES IN PASTRY

Abstract

The bakery industry is growing, but workers face conditions that can impact their health and well-being. This study focuses on the ergonomics of job positions in a bakery in Rancagua, without addressing commercial aspects or product innovation.

The main objective is "To conduct an ergonomic study of the job positions in the bakery and propose improvements to reduce occupational risks."

A quantitative and qualitative approach was adopted, using a descriptive and cross-sectional design. Various ergonomic factors were evaluated, such as anthropometric analysis, time study, ergonomic job evaluation, cardiovascular load, lighting, noise, thermal load, and cognitive and psychosocial factors.

Ergonomic issues were identified in the positions of saleswoman, bakery assistant, and baker. The saleswoman faces challenges with manual order registration, while the bakery assistant requires repetitive effort and strength when opening jars. The baker, on the other hand, performs intensive and repetitive tasks. Evaluations using the OCRA method revealed "Not acceptable, High level" risk levels for both, the bakery assistant and the baker.

The adoption of ergonomic measures in bakeries, such as optimizing order registration and including automated tools, is vital to minimize occupational risks and increase efficiency. These improvements are crucial in preventing a sequence of cascading errors, highlighting the interconnection of work systems and the resulting domino effect.