Investigating the Effect of Ergonomic Interventions on the Reduction of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Qeshm Zinc Smelting Complex

Abstract

Introduction: With the advancement of science and technology in third world and developing countries, more and more harmful factors in the working environment endanger the employees’ lives. One of these detrimental factors is the incompatibility of work with people’s characteristics, which causes musculoskeletal disorders. In developing countries this happens at the cost of musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of ergonomic interventions on reducing the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, and finally, use the results obtained to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and improve the working environment among the staff of Qeshm Zinc Smelting company, in 1399.
 Methods: In this study, staff were randomly evaluated as a case control by the Nordic questionnaire, using QEC method and body map. Ergonomic interventions were then performed on the case group. After one month and four months, re-evaluation was performed by QEC and body map methods.
 Results: Findings indicated that 84.21% of the participants had musculoskeletal disorders in the past year before the study. Ergonomic interventions for musculoskeletal disorders in the lower back, shoulders, neck, knees and hands were significantly reduced.
 Conclusion: Therefore, by doing ergonomic interventions, including teaching ergonomic principles, using automatic equipment, etc., musculoskeletal disorders in the back, shoulders, neck and knees were created and musculoskeletal disorders were reduced to 13.58%.