Relationship between work-related musculoskeletal disorders and adverse ergonomic factors among workers in an electronic manufacture

Objective To study the current situation of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of workers in an electronic manufacture and its correlations with adverse ergonomic factor.

Methods All production workers of an electronic manufacturing factory in Pearl River Delta were surveyed with the musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire (extension version). Annual prevalence and detected ratio for special parts of WMSDs were calculated while visual analogue scale (VAS)was used for evaluating unendurable pain during sicken periods.

Results Among 350 workers, 203 workers(58.0%) suffered with WMSDs in the past 12 months. The detected ratio of neck, shoulders, ankles, upper back was 153(75.37%), 114(56.16%), 75(36.94%), 73(35.96%)respectively while other parts were lower than 35.0%. TheM(P₂₅, P₇₅) value of VAS of WMSDs workers was 4.0(3.0, 6.0). Binary logistic regression analysis showed odd ratios were 2.39(married vs. unmarried), 1.83 (always sitting vs. seldom sitting in the work position), 1.89 (service time longer than 5 years vs. less than 5 years), 1.87(requiring repeated operations per minute vs. no repeated operations per minute), and 2.42neck bending(> 10°)vs. neck upright(≤ 10°), which indicated these were the risk factors for WMSDs(P < 0.05)among these workers. The risk of WMSDs increased by 0.71 and 1.42 times(P < 0.05)for each grade of "requiring upper limb or hand force" and "working in uncomfortable posture".

Conclusions The prevalence of WMSDs of workers in an electronic manufacture in Pearl River Delta was high, however, the duration of the illness and the pain and discomfort were less. The practicable measures to prevent WMSDs should be to improve human engineering of work flow of electronic manufacture, to strengthen scientific working postures and skills training for workers.