Assessment of Load Manual Lifting among Shelf-Stoking Workers in Chain Stores: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In Iranian stores, shelf workers, in addition to shelf-stocking, perform diverse tasks, such as working as a cashier, cleaning, barcode reading, labeling goods, and entering the price with the portable data terminal (PDT). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMSs) and assess load manual lifting among shelf-stoking workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 shelf-stoking workers (60 males and 41 females) in chain stores at Shiraz city, Iran. The subjects were selected by cluster sampling from chain stores in Shiraz city, namely Refah, Canbo, Soroush, and Tirazis. Then, the required number of samples was selected and entered into the study from each cluster in proportion. The Persian version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health-variable lifting index method were used to collect the required data. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 22 using the Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and linear regression. Ankles/feet, lower back, and knees had the highest prevalence of WMSs among the participants. About 70.3% of workers had a VLI higher than 1. There was an association between gender and VLI. The VLI was higher in males than females. The study's findings revealed that the medians of the VLI were significantly different among participants with/without upper back symptoms during 12 months prior to the study and among participants with/without lower back symptoms during 7 days prior to the study. According to the linear regression analysis, gender and lower back symptoms during 7 days prior to the study remained in the model and were associated with the VLI. The findings revealed that the back region of the shelf-stoking workers is prone to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, based on the results, gender and lower back symptoms during the 7 days prior to the study were predicting variables for VLI. This study provides an overview of pain/discomfort and postural load in shelf-stoking workers. Since the principles of ergonomics for the placement and layout of shelves are the same in all stores, the findings of the present study can be used in other stores.

Common errors in selecting and implementing pen-paper observational methods by Iranian practitioners for assessing work-related musculoskeletal disorders risk: a systematic review.

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the types and frequency of pen-paper observational methods (OMs) used by Iranian practitioners and to identify their errors in selecting and implementing these methods. Methods. This was a systematic review and analytical study of papers in which the OMs had been used. Scientific databases were analyzed from September 1970 to September 2018. Errors were determined based on a list of wrong practices both in the selection and implementation of methods. Three ergonomists carried out the process of identifying errors independently. Results. The most frequently used methods were rapid upper limb assessment (RULA), quick exposure check (QEC) and rapid entire body assessment (REBA), respectively. Errors in selecting and implementing pen-paper OMs were 53.3 and 36.4%, respectively. Conclusions. Despite the abundant number of pen-paper OMs, Iranian practitioners use few of them. The high rate of errors can indicate a lack of knowledge and skills among practitioners for selecting and implementing OMs. The development of decision-making tools may help practitioners to select appropriate pen-paper OMs for assessing different types of tasks.

Relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and anthropometric indices among bus drivers in Zahedan city.

INTRODUCTION: Most work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are associated with improper postures and poorly designed workstations. This study is an attempt to examine the prevalence and severity of MSDs as well as anthropometric dimensions among city bus drivers. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 male bus drivers. A body discomfort chart was used to evaluate MSDs. Spearman correlation was employed to examine the relationship between body size and the severity of discomfort. RESULTS: Data analysis showed that discomfort reported in the lower back (33.3%), upper back (18.3%) and knee (15%) was severe and there was a direct and significant correlation between the body mass index and the severity of discomfort in the shoulder, arm and hip (p < 0.05). However, the results showed that eye sitting height and sitting height had significant inverse relationships with discomfort in the ankle and elbow (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the study can be used to address ergonomic risk factors and reduce their associated disorders. The findings of the study can be used in training programs to educate drivers how to decrease the risk associated with work-related MSDs by adopting appropriate behavior strategies.