Arbetsmiljö i stora mjölkkobesättningar

Abstract: Earlier studies have shown that musculoskeletal disorders among animal keepers are more frequent than in other occupations. Most of the farms have expanded and the farmers who used to work alone have suddenly become a work manager with several employers. There are only a few studies made on the work environment in dairy farms. Our study is based on a questionnaire and is a part of a project called large dairy herds. The study is based on data from the persons who milk most of the time. The questions they had to answer were about the work environment, musculoskeletal disorders and the psychosocial environment. The results of the survey are presented in diagrams and figures. It was common that the dairy producer themselves answered the questionnaire. The results showed that the dairy producers had been milking for ten years more than the employers. It was also the dairy producer that worked most time with the animals every week, seven hours more then the employers. The mean age of the milk producers was 48 years and 35 years for the employers. The three main problems in the work environment was bad climate, repetitive movements and dust. More women then men felt uncomfortable in their work environment. Employed women was the group who had the highest frequency of musculoskeletal disorder, felt most discomfort from the working environment and showed higher negative result in the psychosocial work environment then the employed men and the dairy producers. At the same time they had milked fewer years then the employed men and the dairy producers. The study showed that 86% of the women and 78% of the men have had pain in the musculoskeletal system during the last 12 months. The most frequent answer was shoulders and the lower part of the back. At the same time they found the milking process as a low physically demanding work. The results concerning the psychosocial working environment showed that people who milk cows liked their jobs.