EVALUACIÓN DE RIESGOS ERGONÓMICOS EN EL ÁREA DE SOLDADURA EN LOS TALLERES MECÁNICOS DEL GOBIERNO AUTÓNOMO DESCENTRALIZADO MUNICIPAL DE TENA

The Municipal Autonomous Decentralized Government of Tena Canton, is an institution dedicated to carry out administrative, executive and legislative activities according to what establishes the constitution of the Republic of Ecuador and the Internal Regulation of security. In a statistical analysis of the occupational morbidity of the Institution, it shows the presence of ergonomic risk factors in 5 workers who work in the welding area (see Annex 2). With the objective of "proposing preventive measures to mitigate the ergonomic risk factors, for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in the work areas of the welding area of the decentralized Autonomous Government of Tena canton". For the evaluation of ergonomic risk factors, 5 methods were used: RULA (postures), EPR (postures), NIOSH (load lifting), INSHT (load lifting), Check list OCRA (repetitive movement), giving us results in each of the methods as follows: The RULA and EPR method was applied to 5 jobs, where we gave that 1 job: Tertiary welder, they are at a level of risk 4 (Intolerable), so it should be take preventive and corrective measures urgently avoiding musculoskeletal disorders, 2 jobs are at a level of risk 3 (Important), indicating in the result that we must make changes immediately and 2 jobs are at a level of risk 2 (Moderate), indicating in the result that it requires a detailed evaluation where active pauses are requested. The NIOSH and INSHT method was applied to 2 jobs, to the assistant of the welder and to the person in charge of cleaning since they carry out load lifting, identifying that preventive and corrective measures must be taken since the weight that is lifted is greater than what is allowed (23 kg), as established by the Internal Safety Regulations, which causes back pain. The Check list OCRA method was applied to 1 job that is the operator of the manual metal cutter, because their work is repetitive, where it was verified that they suffer repetitive movement at an unacceptable high level causing ergonomic risk factors, recommending to apply the proposals established in the investigation with the purpose of reducing the Ergonomic risks in the Welding Area of the Mechanical Workshops of the Tena Decentralized Autonomous Municipal Government