P h y s io th e ra p y , J u n e 1983, v o l 39, n o 2 39 powe red by electricity. A list o f the m aj o r pr o b l em s o f this g r o u p fro m ass ess me nt was as follows: • P o o r sitting p o s t u re (usual po sition s t o o p e d sitting). • He ight of chair s a n d tables in ap p r o p r i at e . • Ch a irs provi de little or no s u p p o r t for l u m b a r spine. • Inco rre ct ha n d li n g te c hn iq u es (fr equ en t flexion and ro tat io n mov eme nts). • B or ed om . G a r m e n t eleaners were fo u n d to have similar pr o b l em s to the mac hinists, a n d when viewing their w o r ki ng situ ati on this was not surp ri sin g, as all were fo u n d to be in m uch the sa m e w o r k in g p o st u r e as the machinists. Pa c ke rs a n d i ro ner s were fo u n d to hav e on e main c o m pl a in t, viz. low ba ck pain. O n assessment th eir pr o bl em s was s u m m a r i se d as: • S t a n d in g mo st of the day. • Inco rre ct ha n d li n g tec hniques. FURNITURE M A N U FA CTUR ERS (FACTO RIES B AND C) The o t h er two fact ories c o -o p e r a ti n g in this st ud y were f ur n itu re m a n u f a c t u r e r s a n d were f o u n d t o have m o r e o r less the same co m p l a in t s, except for on e g r o u p o f employees. T h e r e were three main o c c u p a tio n s: • M a c h in e o p e r a t o r s • H a n d sande rs • Ge n er a l lab ou re rs. At these two fa ctories the general a t m o s p h e r e was not as plea san t as A. lighting was only fair, ve ntilatio n p o o r as the a ir was thick with sa w du st . T h e s t a f f/ e m p l o y e e re lat io ns hip was not as g ood as at A whe re all st a ff were k n o w n by na me a n d a p p e a r e d h a p p y in th e i r wo rk . Th er e was also f o u n d to be a m o r e ra p id t u r n o v e r o f s t a f f at the pine factories. The h a n d s a n d e rs at C were f o u n d to have the highest incidence o f c o m p l a in t , sho u ld e r, h a n d a n d lower back pain being the most c o m m o n . T h ei r p r o b l e m s are s u m m a r i s e d as follows: • N o w o r k in g surfaces provided. • Emplo ye es were using a r m muscles in ste ad o f body weight to s a n d objects. • N o sea ting available. • N o kn owl ed ge o f kinetic hand ling. • F r e q u e n t f l e x i o n / r o t a t i o n a n d e x t e n s i o n / r o t a t i o n mov eme nt. In c o m p a r is o n , th e h a n d s a n d e r s of B c o m pl a in e d pr im ar ily o f low b a ck pain as di d all general la bo u re rs a n d mach in is ts o f bo t h factories. B a lso ha d a hi gh incidence of h e ad a ch e a n d so re eyes. This factory h a d very long wo rk in g h o u r s a n d p o o r lighting in a small war eho us e. GENERAL R E C O M M E N D A T IO N S • E m p lo y e rs sh o u l d strive to w a r d s a be tter s t a f f /e m p lo ye e relationship. • L ighting sh o u l d be a d e q u a te p ar ticu la rly in the w a r eh o u s e of the pine factories. • T h e length of the w o r k i n g week sh o u l d not exceed forty- five h ou r s a n d rest pauses a re essential in every o c cu p a ti o n . It has be en f o u n d th at increasing the w o r k in g week sel dom increases p r o d u c ti o n . • Pause gymnastics may be i n tr o d u c e d to relieve m o n o to n y . T w o five-minute sessions o f exercise to ta p e d music with i ns tr uc ti on s e n ab l e w o r k e r s to chan ge p osi tio n a n d re tu rn to the j o b refreshed. • Possible i n t r o d u c t io n o f classes in larger c o mp an ies , dealing with specific p ro bl em s such as ba ck injuries a n d c ar d io -v as cu la r di sorders. • I n t r o d u c t i o n of b a c k g r o u n d music for time periods t h r o u g h o u t the day. R E C O M M EN D A TIO N S ON P O STU R E • S t a f f sh o ul d be advis ed on the use o f c ush io ns to su p po rt the l u m b a r spine. • W her e chai rs are t o o high, the legs can be s ho r te ne d to the co rre ct height. • All st af f s h o u l d be t a u g h t the basics of g o o d s t a n di ng a n d si tting posture . • I n st r u c ti o n sh o u l d be given on ho w to relax the muscles o f the sh o ul de rs , neck, a n d u p p e r back. • Co r re ct h a n d li n g tech niq ues s h o u l d be t a u g h t to all staff. In c o n c lu si on , ph ys io th er a p is ts are t rai ned in the principles o f a n a t o m y , physiology and psychology. In a dd iti on the pr e ven tio n of strain, stress, a n d ove ru se needs to be emph as ize d. A p o s t - g r a d u a t e co ur se has been established at U.C .T . f r om 1983. O c c u p a t io n a l p hy si o t h e r a p y will be the area o f the fu t u r e as p o p u l a t i o n s a n d in dustries co n tin u e to grow. BOOK REVIEW M A L A R IA W hat you should know about it Obtainable free from: Departm ent o f Health, Welfare & P ensions (Liaison Services), Private Bag X63, Pretoria 0001. A booklet that gives brief and readable inform ation about the history, geographical distribution, transm ission and epidem iology, clinical picture, prevention and control o f malaria. Suitable for lay readers. M A L A R IA Wat u daarom trent behoort te weet Gratis verkrygbaar van Departem ent van Gesondheid, W elsyn en P ensioene (Skakel-dienste), Privaatsak X63, Pretoria 0001. ’n Boek wat kort en leesbare inligting oor die geskiedenis, geografiese vespreiding, oordrag en epidem iologie, kliniese beeld, voorkom ing en beheer van malaria gee. Geskik vir lekelesers. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )