Hazards and Risks at Rotary Screen Printing (Part 1/6): Survey on Musculoskeletal Disorders

Abstract

This-research was initiated, following the-recommendation from recent-study, done at the-same-facility. The-main-purpose of the-study was to-survey machine-operators, on occupational-pain and related Musculoskeletal-Disorders (MSDs), at-textile-finishing-department. The-following-instruments were used: document-analysis, the-standardized Nordic-questionnaire (modified), and secondary-data, on sick-leave days, taken by the-workers, for previous-three-years. The-main-findings were: Absolute majority of the-respondents had at-least-one pain-complain, related to-MSDs. Low-back body-region received the-highest-number of complains, of pain, lasted, for at-least 24hours, for the-last-year (37.5%); last-month (25%); and last-week (12.5%). It-was-also-found, that age does not affect MSDs, for this-particular demographic-group. For the-three-reported-years, overall, MSDs contributed 36% of the-total-number of sick-leave-days, at the-finishing-department, leading to losses of KES 115,950 (USD 1,159.5), excluding direct-costs, and quality of life-costs.  The-highest-number (60%) of sick-leave-days, attributed-to MSDs, among factory-workers, was due-to hand, wrist, and forearm-pain or injury. For, the-finishing-department, the-same-trend accounted for 55%. The-highest-number of sick-leave-days, attributed to-other, than MSDs, causes, was-due-to upper-respiratory tract-infection (URTI). Although, the-last-finding was not directly related to the-main-subject of investigation—MSDs; it cannot be-ignored. Further-comparative studies, are, hence, recommended on the-respiratory-symptoms, among-workers, exposed and unexposed, to-cotton-dust, at the-mill. The-study also made several-recommendation, for further-research. The-research-findings provided some-evidence, and indicative-data, on-MSDs, at the-mill, which can-be-used, by the-mill administration, and policy-makers, to-improve strategies of integrating proper-ergonomic principles, in their-operational-practices. Moreover, the-study contribute (in its-small-way) to-existing-body of knowledge, on the-subject-matter.

Keywords: MSDs, occupational, textile industry, finishing sector, sick leave days.