The Effects of Personal and Occupational Risk Position on Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders are among the most important health risks in various organizations, especially heavy industry. The current study purposed to determine the effects of personal and occupational position risks on musculoskeletal disorders. This cross-sectional study was carried out from April 2015 to May 2016 in Esfahan’s Mobarakeh Steel Company using a stratified random sampling method. In this study, the risk of occupational duties such as heavy lifting, load carrying, long sitting, standing, and moving as well as unsafe personal behaviors or risky actions involving the waist, shoulder/arm, wrist, neck, knee, elbow, ankle, and chamber were considered as independent variables, while musculoskeletal disorders (evaluated by NMQ) were considered as dependent variables. The study sample included 300 male workers (with the mean age of 41.01±8.17 years and mean work experience of 16.00±7.66 years). The results showed a positive relationship between shoulder injury risk scores and shoulder/arm (OR=2.42, CI=(1.25- 4.71)) and knee (OR=2.39, CI=(1.08-5.28)) disorders. The findings also showed such positive relationship between upper back risk scores and wrist/hand disorders (OR=2.41, CI=(1.01-5.76)), lower back risk scores and waist (OR=2.49, CI=(1.39-4.45)), shoulder/arm (OR=1.63, CI=(1.04-2.57)), and neck (OR=1.85, CI=(0.98-3.49)) disorders. Based on the results, more consideration must be paid to personal and occupational risks, and it is highly recommended that convenient modifications be made in work environments in order to decrease musculoskeletal disorders in workers of the steel company.