Mixed approach for MSD prevention: a meat cutting study

The cutting performance of a knife is considered as one of the determinants of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the meat cutting sector (Claudon and Marsot 2003; McGorry, Dowd et al. 2003). It is affected by knife maintenance and its organisation (Vézina, Prevost et al. 1999). In a context of sub-contracting, the organisation of knife maintenance can involve workers of different employers working on the same production site. Divergences of opinions regarding the cutting capacity of knives are especially noticed in this context. This could be due to different evaluation criteria.
The aim of this communication is to show how a "mixed approach”, proposed by the authors, has allowed to identify and discuss criteria of evaluation of the cutting capacity of knives according to the job and to the company of membership.
The methodology mobilized three meat cutting sites including three modes of organization of knives sharpening. The mixed approach associates quantitative evaluations (the force required to cut a reference material) before and after sharpening, in site sharpening analysis and interviews performed individually or in pairs.
The values of the quantitative evaluation of knives are grouped in an interval of 30N to 35N. The statistical analysis shows that these values are significantly influenced by the mode of organization. The individual and in pairs interviews with meat cutters and/or sharpeners and the in site sharpening analysis allowed identifying common criteria and specific criteria to meat cutters or sharpeners.
In conclusion, the quantitative evaluation exceeded its contributory role of knowledge and became a tool of discussion during the interviews made in pairs. Indeed, it allowed the cutting operators or the sharpeners to escape the accusatory speech and to build together a vision of the "knife which cuts" through the evaluation criteria of knife cutting capacity.