Investigation of biomechanical risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in the plasterer of Neyshabur, Iran, in 2014

Background: Plasterers are at risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to the nature of their occupation and ergonomic factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical risk factors for MSDs among plasterers. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 70 plasterers from Neyshabur, Iran, were studied in 2014. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used to determine the prevalence of MSDs and the ergonomic posture of plasterers was assessed based on the Ovako Working Posture Assessment System (OWAS). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: According to the results of the present study, 61.7% of plasterers had experienced back pain in the past 12 months and 44.1% of individuals in the last 7 days. In addition, in the last 12 months, 58.6% of individuals had experienced pain in the knee and 44.3% had experienced pain in the neck. Postural evaluation results showed that 55.8% of working postures need to be improved. Moreover, 6.1% of these postures have a very high level of risk, and plasterers are not authorized to work in these circumstances. Of these postures, 23% should be corrected immediately and as soon as possible and 26.7% should be corrected in the near future. Conclusions: Results indicate that the majority of plasterers suffered from MSDs especially in the upper body and upper limbs. Thus, further studies are necessary to improve plasterers’ ergonomic statues.