Análise da capacidade para o trabalho e da necessidade de descanso: um estudo sobre o contraste etário na mineração

Abstract

The mining sector is characterized by high levels of physical, organizational, and environmental demands, factors that can progressively compromise workers' health and functional capacity. This study aims to analyze the age-related contrast between young and senior workers at a mining company in the state of Ceará, Brazil, investigating the relationship between work demands and perceived work ability. The research adopts a cross-sectional, mixed-methods approach, utilizing the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Need for Recovery Scale (NFR) as instruments. Results indicate that, despite the high demands of the activity, senior workers maintain a stable perception of work ability, possibly associated with adaptive strategies acquired through professional experience, whereas younger workers reported higher residual fatigue at the end of the workday (NFR indicators). It is concluded that experience-based adaptation does not eliminate work arduousness, reinforcing the need for ergonomic interventions that consider the age-related and organizational specificities of mining work.