title: Manual material handling assessment among workers of Iranian casting workshops.
abstract: Manual material handling (MMH) tasks can be found in most workplaces and they may constitute a risk factor for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of WMSDs and to compare MMH loads with the acceptable weight and force limits among Iranian casting workers. Data were collected from 50 workers of casting workshops who performed MMH tasks. The Nordic musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire and the Snook tables were used as tools for data collection. Hand/wrist symptoms were the most prevalent problems among the workers (84%). The results of the Snook tables showed that the loads in lifting (84%), lowering (86%), carrying (66%), pushing with initial (43%) and sustained force (59%), and pulling tasks with initial (48%) and sustained force (93%) exceeded recommended limits. WMSDs occurred in high rates among the workers and, thus, ergonomics interventions should focus on decreasing WMSDs and redesigning MMH tasks.
authors: School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
authors: Heidar
authors: H
authors: Mohammadi
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Motamedzade
authors: Mohammad Amin
authors: MA
authors: Faghih
authors: Hadi
authors: H
authors: Bayat
authors: Majid Habibi
authors: MH
authors: Mohraz
authors: Saeed
authors: S
authors: Musavi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D017770:Lifting; D008297:Male; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis