Introduction

Gas station attendants are exposed to loud sounds and chemical compounds, working in rotating shifts and inadequate postures.

Objective

Describe the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms which affects those workers and evaluate the quality of life at work, correlating them with hearing evaluation.

Method

A cross-sectional study, with a control group, with 15 participants without exposure and other 20 with exposition. The Nordic Questionnaire of Musculoskeletal Symptoms and the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire at Work, short version, were used for evaluations. The exams performed were Tone Limit Audiometry, Acoustic Immittance Measurements and Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential.

Results

The prevalent symptoms in the exposed group were pain in neck/cervical spine and hip/lower members, and the lumbar region. Hearing alterations were observed in 30% of the gas station attendants. There was a correlation between age and quality of life at work.

Conclusion

It is believed that the pain found can be a consequence of prolonged standing posture and lack of physical activity; symptoms that could be minimized by the adoption of ergonomic measures. However, although some audiological exams presented alterations, they were not enough to interfere in the quality of life at work, that was satisfactory for the groups.

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