Risk Assessment on Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders for Ergonomics Management Program among Industrial Worker in Textile Export and Small Enterprise

Abstract

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess health  risk on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) of worker in textile export and small enterprise in order to recommend for ergonomic management program. Data were collected by using an interviewed discomfort questionnaire, observing of work posture with ergonomic risk assessment using rapid entire body assessment (REBA) for standing works and rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) for sitting works. Eye fatigue of workers with eye focusing work and light intensity at inspection or sewing station were measured. Risk assessment on WMSDs was done by using a risk matrix considering the severity levels of the muscular discomfort and the opportunity on exposure to ergonomics risk factor. The results showed that the most of workers had a moderate to very high risk of WMSDs for 62.79%, as the followings: moderate level (30.23%), high level (23.26%), and very high level (9.30%), especially of shoulder (51.16%), neck (44.91%) and lower leg (34.85%). The workers had a mild to moderate (22.58%) visual fatigue and found that the industrial sewing section had the light intensity at work stations below the standard requirement (35.48%). The results suggested for ergonomics implementation program of the workers who had WMSDs risk from at least on moderate level as follows: ergonomic training for improving work posture, chair designed for sewing section, foot supporting designed for hand weaving section and quality control section, improvement of lighting intensity in work place for industrial sewing section, and WMSDs surveillance by using matrix MSDs risk assessment every six months in order to prevention of musculoskeletal diseases of the textile industry workers.