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Repcatcd Mechanica! Traunia in the Mcal Industry 377

Repeated wrist bcnding and the rapid pace on the assembly linę are stfongly predis-posing. Perhaps gender is less important than work patiem and hand strcss.

Armstrong and Chaffin [1979) found that forceful exertions and pinch hand positions were associated with CIS. Phalen [1966] found that occupations requiring active finger flexion with the wrist ftexed are predisposed to the syndrome. Smith et al [1977] suggested that forceful exertions of the second and third digits (particularly with flcxed wrist) were important factors. Birkbeck and Beer [1975] found that 79% of patients with CTS were employed in jobs reąuiring light, highly repetitive movc-ments of the wrist and fingers. Reinstcin (1981) found that CTS occurred significantly morę frequently in the dominant hand of both right- and left-handed persons. Lublin [1983J compared 30 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome with 90 matched Controls and found that vibratory hand tools were strongly associated with the disorder.

According to the Wall Street Journal, eight unions represcnting cmployees in the auto, garment, meat processing, furniture, food retailing, and other industries are trying to seek workmen*s compensation benefits for carpal tunnel syndrome sufferers [Lublin, 1983).

While unions are pressing management to change the workplace or provide morę efficient tools, management is generally reluctant to focus on job redesign. However, given the mounting costs of surgical care, abscntceism, and employee turnover as a result of CTS, manufacturers for the electronics, food processing, meat packing, and automotive industries are starting to test tools that keep workers’ wrists “straighter.”

PREVALENCE OF CTS AMONG MEAT HANDLERS

Reliable prevalence data are not available. Most union locals do not know how many of their members suffer from CTS or how much has been paid for surgery.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union has analyzed Bureau of Labor Statistics injury and illness records from all of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) meat packing companies. This search showed that— „ tendonitis and related injuries were the third leading injury among meat packers. The UFCW has reportcd that CTS is morę prevalent among those who bonę, gut, trim, and wrap meat and poultry; among those who shuck oysters and filet fish; among those on sewing and trimming operations in boot and shoe plants and in fur plants; among cash register operators; and among machinę operators and packers (Quattruc-chi. 1982J.

The prevalencc of carpal tunnel syndrome among the members of a food workers union was determined by reviewing all surgical claims from 1979 through 1982. The study indicated that seven members were treated surgically for carpal tunnel syndrome. The prevalence ratę for this time period was 2.4 per 1,000. All those with CTS were female, and four of the seven were in their mid-to-late fifiies (postmenopause) [Quattrucchi, 1982). These individuals had their condition treated surgically. The ^u wal king wounded” who might be candidates for surgery are thought to be considcrable in number.

Armstrong [1984) reviewed accident and personnel records of a turkey processing plant to determine the number and the type of repetitive trauma complaints. Thigh skinning and boning operations were found to have the highest rates ofCTS. Arm-