ANALYSE DES FACTEURS POUVANT ENTRAÎNER L'EXCLUSION DES FEMMES DU TRI DES COLIS POSTAUX

Although an increasing number of women enter traditional men's jobs, segregation persists. Sociological, historical, and biological factors may tend to exclude women from a job. We have analysed a package sorting job which is usually done by men although it involves repetitive tasks of a type often done by women. The job requirements were studied in regard to identify characteristics which could lead to the exclusion of women. Sixteen workers were interviewed to obtain information on personal characteristics, difficulties faced by workers on the job, fatigue, pain and previous work stoppages. By systematic observations of seven workers, work activities were described and their frequency and length evaluated. The principal work activity is the coding of packages involving a heavy workload for the upper limbs and back. Each employee sorts an average of 7 028 packages per day ; the left arm handles 12 018 kg. The right hand applies 1 005 kg pressure per day to the keyboard. Shoulder abduction is almost constant and frequently coupled to flexion-extension movements on the left. Twelve workers reported fatigue in their left shoulder at the end of their work day and ten feel pain in this region while working. Although differences in muscular strength between men and women are greatest for the upper limbs and the work posture was more difficult for smaller workers, the women interviewed reported no more problems than their colleagues. However, records show that women workers had many more accidents and occupational diseases than men. The workload may be too heavy for the majority of women, with consequent elimination of all but the most resistant. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the proportion of women workers decreases with increasing seniority. Nous avons effectué l'analyse d'un poste de tri de colis postaux, principalement occupé par des hommes. Les femmes y ont une ancienneté inférieure à celles des hommes. Les exigences du travail ont été étudiées afin de voir si des caractéristiques du poste pouvaient entraîner l'exclusion des femmes. Seize personnes ont été interviewées et des observations ont permis de décrire les activités de travail. L'activité principale est le codage des colis, un travail répétitif. La charge de travail des membres supérieurs et du dos est importante. Les femmes interrogées ne rapportent pas plus de problèmes que leurs confrères. Cependant, selon les dossiers d'accidents, les femmes seraient plus nombreuses à avoir subi