Journal of Health and Safety at Work

Introduction: Manual material handling activities in long and short periods may lead to complications such as laceration, fracture, cardiovascular stress, muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders especially in the vertebrae column. The purpose of this study was to assess manual handling of oxygen cylinders by casting workers and to implement ergonomic intervention to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

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Material and Method: This is an interventional study conducted among 18 male workers of a steel casting unit. Assessment of manual handling of oxygen cylinders, was done using in order Snook tables. The manual handling of oxygen cylinders was changed to mechanical handling and making a box with the capacity of 16 oxygen cylinders which can be moved by crane.

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Result: According to the results, lifting and lowering cylinders was not suitable for most of the workers. Moreover, caring, pulling and pushing was suitable for less than 10 percent of the workers. Condition of lifting cylinders by fire workers was suitable only 25 percent of them. According to the snook tables material handling activities must be suitable for at least 75 percent of workers.

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Conclusion: With the implementation of ergonomic intervention is casting unit, the risk of exposure to musculoskeletal disorders caused by manual handling of oxygen cylinders was eliminated and safety of employees against the risk of explosion of the cylinders in comparison with before the intervention was improved.

Introduction: Manual material handling (MMH) is the most common cause of work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Prevention of MSDs is highly critical. The aim of this study was to assess risk of carpets manual handling by retail workers, and to implement ergonomic interventions in order to reduce risk of MSDs.

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Material and Method: This interventional study was conducted among 36 workers in 19 retailer sites of a textile corporation. Ergonomics assessment of the retailers was done using the comprehensive risk assessment model of the British Carpet Foundation. Moreover, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of workers’ MSDs. Reassessment was conducted after implementation of the ergonomics interventions.

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Result: The mean age and work tenure of participants were 36.28 and 16.2 years, respectively. The results of Nordic Questionnaire before intervention showed that overall 37.8% of the workers had experienced pain at least once during the past year, with the highest frequency belonged to the lower back (75%), shoulder (61%), and neck and upper back (55%), respectively. After implementing the interventions, the prevalence of MSDs reduced to 23.5%. The results of risk assessment before and after the interventions showed that of the 19 retailer sites, six sites were improved from poor to average state, and one site showed improvement from average to good condition.

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Conclusion: By implementing ergonomics interventions in carpet delivery sites, the risk factors of MSDs, induced by manual carpet handling, were reduced and safety and ergonomic conditions of the retailers were improved, compared to the previous conditions.