Investigating the Risks of Inappropriate Work Postures in Employees of Shahid Shukri Dental Hospital using ROSA and RULA Tools

Musculoskeletal disorders are currently among the most common occupational diseases in the healthcare system. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among employees of Shahid Shukri Dental Hospital using ROSA and RULA methods.

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Shahid Shukri Dental Hospital in 2022. The sample size was considered a census of all employees. Fifty-five computer users and 42 dentists were included in the study. Data were collected by two posture assessment methods, RULA and ROSA. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS software (version 26) and with the help of descriptive statistics and statistical t-test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression.

Based on the scores obtained from the ROSA method, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders was in the warning zone, and according to the RULA method, all the employees’ postures were at the priority levels of 2 and 3 of corrective measures. In addition, more work experience and high number of working hours per day were effective factors in the occurrence of symptoms in the neck and wrist/hand areas.

Findings of the present study revealed that the current conditions in Shahid Shukri Dental Hospital are not suitable, and changes and improvements of conditions and workstations are required. To reduce and prevent the spread of musculoskeletal disorders, it is recommended to eliminate deficiencies through designing and implementing an educational intervention program combined with engineering interventions.