Title: A study on work-related musculoskeletal complaints and associated risk factors among steel industrial workers

Authors: Samson Akindele; Olusegun Akanbi; Feyisayo Akinwande; Joshua Ade-Omowaye

Addresses: Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria ' Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, University of Ibadan, Nigeria ' Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract: As a result of scarce information regarding the impact of work-related musculoskeletal complaints (WMSCs) in the Nigerian steel industry, this research investigates the frequency of complaints in the various body regions. Subsequently, the relationship between WMSC and the essential worker's characteristics (age, work tenure and weight) and working posture were addressed. The frequency of complaints of the working population was collected and accessed using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ). The active stance of the workers was analysed using the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA). The results from NMQ showed a significant relationship between complaints of the upper and lower back regions among the workgroups. Significantly, there exists a strong correlation among workers characteristics with WMSC. Older workers complained more about specific body regions than the relatively younger workers. The RULA showed that the maintenance department workers had the most significant postural risk, followed by the melting section.

Keywords: posture; casting; productivity; rapid upper limb assessment; RULA; musculoskeletal complaints; discomfort; safety; steel industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2023.132266

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2023 Vol.44 No.3, pp.404 - 426

Received: 08 Mar 2021
Accepted: 23 Aug 2021
Published online: 14 Jul 2023 *

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