The cardiac profile and electrocardiographic standard of at-height workers.

Background: The Medical Control Program for Occupational Health establishes the required supplementary exams, according to the activity exercised by the worker and its inherent risks. The Regulatory Norm No. 35, recently deployed, stipulates that at-height workers must undergo electrocardiogram exams as an additional routine examination.

Objective: To evaluate the electrocardiographic standard in at-height.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study, developed from May 2014 to January 2015 with male at-height workers. Anthropometric and clinical data were collected after the electrocardiogram (ECG). The workers included in the program were evaluated by an occupational medicine service of Serra Gaúcha, responsible for medical assessment and occupational tests. All workers were assessed by the researcher.

Results: A total of 561 at-height workers participated in the study. The average age was 35.9 ± 12.2 years. A total of 176 (31%) presented electrocardiographic changes in the analysis of the resting ECG. Regarding the amendments in the resting ECG, 15.7% were attributed to changes in ventricular repolarization, 8% as blocks conductions, and 5.8% as left ventricular overload. Demographic variables were not associated with changes in the electrocardiographic tracing.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated the electrocardiographic alterations and the profile of at-height workers. These findings can help determine prevention strategies and provide warnings of possible future harms to the health of these workers.