Rural workload: study performed in two rural environments in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Carga de trabalho rural: estudo desenvolvido em dois ambientes rurais do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

ABSTRACT:

This study aimed to analyze loads resulting from the rural work of fruit and vegetable farmers. This exploratory and descriptive study was conducted with 259 farm workers from two rural environments. A semi-structured questionnaire based on the concepts of NASA-TLX was used to assess workload. The male and female workers of one environment reported that the demand that contributed the most to their workload was the level of total effort, while the women of the other environment reported that the physical demand was more relevant for WL. In conclusion, evidence concerning workload supports further investigation into the health of rural workers and the development of preventive strategies related to rural work.

Key words:
rural health; occupational health; workload.