TY - JOUR
T1 - Harmful postures and musculoskeletal symptoms among sanitation workers of a fish processing factory in ghana
T2 - A preliminary investigation
AU - Quansah, Reginald
PY - 2005/1
Y1 - 2005/1
N2 - This study investigated musculoskeletal symptoms among sanitation workers of a fish-processing factory. The methods used included administration of a questionnaire, walk through observation, interview, task analysis and future workshop. All 27 male participants answered and submitted their questionnaires. Of the 11 operations identified, all except one was considered safe. Bent back, bent legs, and heavy manual handling were observed to impose intolerable health risk on participants. This corresponds with questionnaire results in which musculoskeletal symptoms were mostly prevalent in the neck, the shoulder, the low back, the wrists/hands and the upper back regions. Poor psychosocial complaints were also made on the job. There was no significant correlation (p <.05) between musculoskeletal symptoms and age, working hours and length of service. Neither was any significant correlation observed (p <.05) between psychosocial work factors and musculoskeletal symptoms. Recommendations such as task redesign to eliminate high-risk elements in operations, workplace changes and worker training were suggested.
AB - This study investigated musculoskeletal symptoms among sanitation workers of a fish-processing factory. The methods used included administration of a questionnaire, walk through observation, interview, task analysis and future workshop. All 27 male participants answered and submitted their questionnaires. Of the 11 operations identified, all except one was considered safe. Bent back, bent legs, and heavy manual handling were observed to impose intolerable health risk on participants. This corresponds with questionnaire results in which musculoskeletal symptoms were mostly prevalent in the neck, the shoulder, the low back, the wrists/hands and the upper back regions. Poor psychosocial complaints were also made on the job. There was no significant correlation (p <.05) between musculoskeletal symptoms and age, working hours and length of service. Neither was any significant correlation observed (p <.05) between psychosocial work factors and musculoskeletal symptoms. Recommendations such as task redesign to eliminate high-risk elements in operations, workplace changes and worker training were suggested.
KW - Ergonomics
KW - Fish processing industry
KW - Ghana
KW - Posture
KW - Sanitation workers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84983044014&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10803548.2005.11076636
DO - 10.1080/10803548.2005.11076636
M3 - Article
C2 - 15938767
AN - SCOPUS:84983044014
SN - 1080-3548
VL - 11
SP - 171
EP - 180
JO - International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
JF - International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
IS - 2
ER -