MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN MICROELECTRONIC WORKERS

Abstract

ISEE-397 Purpose: Electronics industries are rapidly growing in Taiwan. Workers from electronics industries were known to suffer from different occupational health problems as compared with traditional manufacturing industries, e.g., musculoskeletal disorders. Evaluation for occupational musculoskeletal disorders for electronics workers is important. Methods: We recruited female workers of five appliance industries in Nantze Industrial District of Kaohsiung and female workers of three semiconductor industries in Shinchu Industrial Park to complete a self-administered questionnaire, in which Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was included for assessment of musculoskeletal complaints on different bodily parts. Results: A total of 2566 appliance workers and 1,669 semiconductor workers completed the questionnaire satisfactorily, with average age of 30.5+8.1 and 27.2+4.8 years, respectively. Most of these workers had high school education (67.5%). The prevalences of complaining pain in neck (13.9% vs. 9.3%), shoulder (21.9% vs. 16.3%), upper back (8.8% vs. 6.0%), lower back (18.1% vs. 6.7%), knee (5.9% vs. 2.6%), leg (16.9% vs. 2.9%), and ankle (15.2% vs. 3.7%) were higher in semiconductor workers as compared with appliance workers. The prevalences of complaining pain in hands (5.1% vs. 6.5%) and buttock (2.0% vs. 5.2%) were lower in semiconductor workers. The workers in semiconductor industries also complained of more numbness of different bodily parts than those in appliance industries. In semiconductor industries, working at CMP was associated with increased complaint of upper back discomfort; etching work was associated with knee complaints; working at sputter area was associated with leg pain; and working at the photolithography areas was associated with ankle pain. Conclusion: Female workers in electronics industries had in general high prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints. However, comparing to more traditional industries such as appliance industries, workers from semiconductor industries complained of more musculoskeletal symptoms. Specific works in semiconductor industries were associated with more musculoskeletal complaints and warrant careful evaluation to develop strategies to reduce musculoskeletal damages to workers.