MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE WORKERS

Abstract

Waste collection is a necessary activity all around the world and the removal of municipal solid waste is a job associated with a variety of biological, chemical, mechanical, physical, and psychosocial hazards. In our country, like many developing countries, municipal solid waste is collected manually and collection of household waste is also a job which requires repeated heavy physical activity such as lifting, carrying, pulling, and pushing. We performed this study to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders among municipal solid waste workers. We designed a cross sectional study. Our survey instrument for measurement of musculoskeletal symptoms was adapted from the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire that translated into Farsi language. A total of 65% (n=142) of participants reported that they had been troubled with musculoskeletal symptoms in one or more of the 9 defined body regions during the last 12 months. Prevalence of symptoms in low back, knees, shoulders, upper back and neck were 45, 29, 24, 23 and 22% respectively. Foreign workers reported more musculoskeletal symptoms in all body parts than Iranian workers. The differences between prevalence of symptoms between two groups were significant in all parts of body except knees. The study found that solid waste workers have more musculoskeletal disorders than general population. Meanwhile these symptoms were more common among foreign workers. The risk of disease was increased with the increasing years of working as solid waste worker and smoking. We didn't find relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and education or marriage status of workers.