Health Risk Assessment of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Electronic Industrial Workers

Abstract

          This cross-sectional study was aimed to assess the health risk assessment of musculoskeletal disorders in electronic industrial workers. There were 294 workers in electronic industries in the Northeast of Thailand. Data were collected by questionnaires of musculoskeletal discomfort and the ergonomic risk assessment tool which was the self-assessment. Ergonomics risk assessment applied from Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) for the sitting posture and standing posture assessment respectively. The health risk assessment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) was done by the matrix according to discomfort levels and ergonomics risk levels of working posture. The results showed that the top three positions of WMSDs were shoulders (36.05%), lower back (30.95%), and upper back (30.27%). Ergonomics risk assessed by REBA were mostly at moderate risk level (44.40%), followed by high ergonomics risk level (41.40%), and very high risk level (10.50%). Ergonomics risk measured by RULA were at high risk (52.40%), moderate (24.50%) and very high (45.30%). The health risk assessment of WMSDs was shown that most of the workers was in high risk level (47.63%), moderate (43.19%) and very high risk (7.48%). The matrix of WMSDs risk health assessment from this study using data from self-assessment revealed that almost workers were in the high risk of musculoskeletal disorders, that suggests for ergonomic implementation among electronic workers by ergonomics training and workstations modification by appropriate ergonomics design. The finding of health risk matrix by self-assessment data is useful for the surveillance program of shoulder and back pain among electronic workers.