An exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 15 small companies located in the city of Copiapó, Chile. 119 workers (58 women and 61 men) participated in the study. The ergonomic analysis was carried out during the working day, through open observation of the work processes. To identify and assess the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD), instruments according to Chilean standards were used, in addition to a survey to assess the perception of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and the NASA-TLX mental workload index. The study was approved by an ethics committee and informed consent was obtained from participants. Descriptive analyses of WRMSD symptom data stratified by gender were performed. Student's t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to assess significant differences at the 99% and 95% confidence levels. This study contributes to the visibility of the need to implement ergonomics in micro and small enterprises in Chile, reflecting, as part of this panorama, the issue of the precariousness of employment and the challenges it poses for ergonomics. The precarious-ness of work today goes beyond jobs that do not have a formal employment relationship. The conditions that favor the precariousness of work are reproduced in the forms of remuneration, in the territory and in the contexts that are far from the control of the state in terms of working conditions, which increases the risks of WRMSD.