Carpal tunnel syndrome and work organisation in repetitive work: a cross sectional study in France. Study Group on Repetitive Work.

OBJECTIVES: To study the determinants of signs of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in repetitive industrial work, with special attention to occupational constraints at group level and management practices of the companies. METHOD: A cross sectional study was conducted in three sectors: assembly line; clothing and shoe industry; food industry. A total of 1210 workers in repetitive work, from 53 different companies, was compared with a control group of 337 workers. Constraints at the workplace were partly self declared, and partly assessed by the occupational physicians in charge of the employees of the company. The definition of CTS was based on a standardised clinical examination. RESULTS: CTS was associated with repetitive work, especially packaging. It was more frequent among subjects who declared psychological and psychosomatic problems and those with a body mass index > or = 27. Dissatisfaction with work, lack of job control, short cycle time, and having to press repeatedly with the hand were associated with the syndrome. An odds ratio (OR) of 2.24 was found for "just in time" production. CONCLUSION: The results emphasise the complexity of the determinants of CTS, the role of psychosocial factors at work and the potentially negative effects of some practices of the companies aimed at enhancing their competitiveness.

[Symptoms and respiratory function in a group of Gruyère cheese processors in Comté]. / Symptômes et fonction respiratoires dans un groupe d'affineurs de gruyère de Comté.

We have analysed the symptoms and respiratory function of a group of cheese processors making gruyère Comté in relation to a group of controls: 96 male cheese workers (mean age 36 +/- 11.1) and 97 controls who were of the male sex and of comparable age, height, weight and smoking habits. The cheese workers had a lower educational and professional level (p less than 0.01) and had a higher level of alcohol consumption than the controls (p less than 0.05). The prevalence of chronic bronchitis and of dyspnoea in the cheese workers (respectively 13.5 and 23.9%) was not significantly different from that in the controls (10.3 and 35%). 5 cheese workers (5.2%) were suspected of having occupational asthma; 5 (5.2%) were suspected of having hypersensitivity pneumonia (cheese workers' disease): 41 (42.7%) had signs of conjunctivitis during work, of whom 30 occurred only in the hot cellars. The respiratory function parameters measured were identical in the two groups (vital capacity, FEV1, mean expiratory flow at 25% and 75% of vital capacity). In conclusion, evidence of allergic problems (asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonia and conjunctivitis) seems to be frequent in refiners of Comté but the cases identified need to be confirmed; cheese refiners of Comté do not seem to have any particular risks of chronic bronchitis and of alteration of respiratory function.