By documenting the strategies developed by food processing workers to manage their musculoskeletal
pain and discomfort in order to remain on the job, the present article seeks to increase awareness of a
different“way of approaching”WMSDs inspired by the ergonomic approach centred on work activity
analysis. Based on a mixed methods approach, an ergonomic work activity study combined with a
multiple case study was conducted. Sixteen female seafood-processing workers were followed up during
two consecutive work seasons using a range of interviews as well as observations of work activity
throughout the entire study. A large variety of musculoskeletal pain management strategies developed
by those workers to remain on the job were identified. This identification and the process of categorizing
the strategies led to the development of a framework for studying worker strategies. The mixed methods
approach made it possible to better pinpoint and understand obstacles to the development of workplace
strategies and then identify avenues for change to improve working conditions.
Relevance to industry:The framework constitutes a valuable contribution for the prevention of WMSDs
by representing a methodological tool for documenting worker strategies. Very few tools of this kind are
currently available for practitioners and researchers. In becoming aware of the existence of such coping
strategies, companies can gain a better understanding of the difficulties workers have to cope with.