title: Working Conditions in Carpet Weaving Workshops and Muscu-loskeletal Complaints among Workers in Tabriz - Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carpet weaving operations usualy involve poor working conditions that can lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study investigated MSDs among car¬pet weavers in relation to working conditions from workers' view in Tabriz City, Northwest Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in city of Tabriz, Iran. Data were col¬lected using interviews and questionnaires. The study population consisted of 200 randomly selected healthy weavers from twenty five active carpet weaving workshops.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal problems among the study population. The most commonly affected body areas were neck, lower back, ankles/feet, hands/wrists, upper back, shoulders and knees, respectively. More than half of the weavers were not satisfied with the thermal con¬dition, noise level and cleanliness of the air in the workshops. The result indicated a significant relation¬ship between upper back symptoms and daily working time and between lower back symptoms and the numbers of rows of knots woven in a day. Weavers' satisfaction with hand tools shape and thermal condi¬tion of the workshops were associated with lower back symptoms, whereas satisfaction with weaving looms were associated with upper back complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The poor working condition of hand-woven carpet workshops such as environmental con¬ditions and work station design and tools should be the subject of ergonomics interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Jalil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nazari
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahmoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dianat
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Graveling
keywords: Carpet weaving; Musculoskeletal; Working conditions