The role of ergonomic training interventions on decreasing neck and shoulders pain among workers of an Iranian automobile factory: A randomized trial study

Background: Ergonomic training had been implemented for prevention or reduction of neck and shoulder complaints among workers. The purpose of the present study was to assess the role of ergonomic training intervention on decreasing the prevalence of neck and shoulder complaints among workers of an automobile factory. Methods: Within the present randomized clinical trial, the role of three ergonomic training methods on the prevalence of neck and shoulders pain among 503 workers of an automobile factory (Response rate: 94.23) was assessed. The eligible workers were randomly allocated into the following three interventional (pamphlet, lecture, workshop) groups and one control group. The Nordic questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of neck and shoulder complaints. We followed and assessed the prevalence of neck and shoulders complaints among the study employees before and one year after the intervention. We used chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests to compare the prevalence of neck and shoulder complaints between the trial and control groups. A two-tailed P-value less than or equal to 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of neck and shoulders complaints among the study employees at the recent week (p= 0.002) and year (p= 0.02) had been significantly decreased in the study employees after participating in the study workshop. The prevalence of neck and shoulders complaints at the recent week and year did not significantly changed in the study employees after receiving the pamphlet and lecture as ergonomic trainings. Conclusion: Workshop as an ergonomic training method had an effective and powerful role on decreasing the prevalence of neck and shoulders complaints among workers

The effect of physical and psychosocial occupational factors on the chronicity of low back pain in the workers of Iranian metal industry: A cohort study

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common problems among the workers of different industries. The role of occupational factors in causing the LBP has been indicated previously. LBP has great socio-economic costs and most of its costs are related to the chronic LBP. The aim of this study was to identify the occupational risk factors that are related to the progression of the LBP from acute to chronic phase. Methods: This cohort study has been conducted on 185 workers with acute LBP. Information related to their occupational exposure at baseline has been measured with a valid questionnaire using the self-report approach. Patients follow up was done monthly for three months after the start of the pain. Those workers whose occupational exposure had not changed during the follow up were divided into two groups of chronic LBP (n = 49) and cured (n = 136) according to the duration of the pain period (more or less than 3 months), and their job exposures were compared. Results: Among the physical and psychosocial risk factors, social support (OR = 0.466, CI = 0.231-0.940) and job satisfaction (OR = 0.455, CI = 0.232-0.891), and lifting weights more than 15kg (OR = 2.482, CI = 1.274-4.834) indicated a significant relationship with the chronicity of the LBP. After putting the variables into the regression model, only lifting > 15kg remained statistically significant. Conclusion: According to the observed relationship between these occupational risk factors (social support, job satisfaction, lifting > 15kg) and the chronicity of the LBP, there is hope that eliminating these factors in the workers with acute LBP will prevent its progression to the chronic phase

Factors associated with the severity of fatal accidents in construction workers

Background: Construction work (building houses, roads, workplaces, and repairing and maintaining infrastructures) is a dangerous land-based job. This includes many hazardous tasks and conditions such as working at the following conditions: Height, excavation, noise, dust, power tools and equipment. Construction work has been increased in developed and underdeveloped countries over the past few years. Occupational fatalities have increased with an increase in this type of work. Occupational fatalities refer to individuals who pass way while on the job or performing work related tasks. In the present study, to identify the factors, personal characteristics and work-related factors associated with fatal occupational mortality were assessed using data for Tehran, Iran, 2014-2016. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, using 967 postmortem reports from fatal occupational injuries collected through postmortem investigations during 2014-2016. A sampling frame of 967 postmortem reports from fatal occupational injuries was used to draw a total sample of 714 fatal construction accidents for this cross-sectional study. Pearson �2 test and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: Based on the results of this study, male gender (n=714; 100), age range of 30-39 years (n=183; 25.6), secondary educational level (n=273; 38.2), being married (317; 44.4), causal employee (n=389; 54.5), unskilled performance (389; 54.5), no insurance coverage (472; 66.1), and daytime duty work (287; 40.2) were identified as risk factors for fatality in the event of construction fatal injury. A significant relationship was found between the type of injury and sociodemographic and work related variables. Conclusion: Workers' characteristics such as age, gender, experience, and educational background, and work related variables such as skill training, safety measurement, and close monitoring could be used to discriminate among different severity levels of occupational fatal accidents

Work-related stress and quality of life among Iranian blue-collar workers with self-reported low back pain

Background: Impairment in quality of life and mental health had been reported in the previous studies as the results of musculoskeletal disorders among workers. Mental health has a wide concept and contains different disorders including anxiety, depression or even decreased quality of life, all of which having challengeable impacts on work- related characters such as work productivity and absensism. The present study aimed at evaluating work- related stress and quality of life among Iranian blue-collar workers of Fars ABFA Company with selfreported low back pain. Methods: In the present study, we focused on the low back pain among 451 blue-collar workers and assessed their work- related stress and quality of life status using DASS-21 and short form questionnaire (SF-36), respectively. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the qualitative variables, and chi-square test was utilized for statistical analysis of the qualitative variables. Results: Mean of the total score of quality of life among workers with low back pain was significantly lower than in those workers without low back pain. The mean of work- related stress score was significantly higher in workers with low back pain than in workers without low back pain. The mean quality of life subdomains in patients with low back pain was significantly lower than in workers without low back pain. Conclusion: Findings of the present study revealed that workers with low back pain had lower quality of life score and higher work- related stress score. These findings should be considered in designing preventive programs rather than controlling the pain

The effect of magnification lenses on reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among dentists

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are the most important problems in the health workforce. These discomforts cause many working days losses, increase absenteeism from work, and impose annual economic costs. Awkward posture is the most important factor among the risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed at implementing an interventional ergonomic program to minimize musculoskeletal disorder among dentists. Methods: This semi- experimental study was conducted on 75 dentists of Milad hospital using a census method. The Nordic Questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. In this study, the intervention was to apply optical magnification lens whose impact on reducing musculoskeletal disorder had been previously investigated. Corlett and Bishop Scale was used to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders before and after the intervention. Paired t-test was conducted to compare the discomfort intensity before and after the intervention Results: The results revealed that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in neck, back, shoulder, and arm were higher than other areas of the body in dentists. There was a significant difference in discomfort intensity of the neck, shoulder, arm, back, elbow, forearm, and the whole body after the ergonomic intervention (p < 0.05). Surveys on improving working conditions using the magnification lens revealed that more than 89 of the individuals expressed that the use of the lens increased the ease while working. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the use of optical magnification loupes, because of providing a suitable posture while working, could reduce musculoskeletal disorders in different areas of the body. Thus, we can predict that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders will be reduced in dentists in a long run if they use optical magnification loupes

Assessment of pulmonary function parameters, signs, and symptoms in the employee of a dairy products company in Tehran, Iran

Background: Workers in dairy products companies are exposed to different respiratory hazards. The current study aimed at investigating and comparing the prevalence of pulmonary function parameters, signs, and symptoms in the exposed workers and office staff. Materials and Methods: The current cross sectional study was conducted in 2015 on 864 employees working in a dairy products company in Tehran, Iran. The subjects included 646 employees exposed to respiratory hazards at the production line and the other group consisted of 218 staff not exposed to respiratory hazards in the production line as the unexposed group. Demographic characteristics and the presence of respiratory symptoms and signs were gathered using a checklist. Spirometric indices including FEV1, forced volume vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC were measured for the study participants. Results: Although exposure to the respiratory hazards among participants of the exposed group was lower than permitted limits, the frequency of respiratory signs and symptoms were significantly higher than those of the unexposed staff. In the current study, mean percentage of FVC, FEV1/FVC, and FEV1 were significantly less than the predicted amount in the exposed group than in the unexposed group. Conclusion: Although the frequency of respiratory signs and symptoms was lower than those of other similar studies, abnormal spirometric patterns were common; hence, it can be pointed out that even in the work environments, such as dairy products industry with below the permissible exposure limit of respiratory risks, multiple spirometric disorders can be observed. In other words, the absence of respiratory signs and symptoms are insufficient and application of different pulmonary function tests, such as spirometry, seem essential for assessment. © 2018 NRITLD, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Iran

Assessment of pulmonary function parameters and respiratory symptoms in shipyard workers of Asaluyeh city, Iran

Background: Workers in shipyard companies are exposed to different respiratory hazards. The present case-control study was designed to evaluate pulmonary function tests and respiratory symptoms among shipyard workers in Asaluyeh city in Southwest Iran. Material and Method: Between March and October 2015 we recruited participants from two separate populations: shipyard workers as cases and office workers from the same shipyard company, who are not exposed to the same respiratory hazards, as controls. History was obtained from all participants and they all underwent physical examination and spirometry. Results: Respiratory signs and symptoms were present in a significantly higher number of shipyard workers compared to the unexposed office workers. Similarly, there were significant spirometric differences between cases and controls. Conclusion: It seems that workplace hazards play a more significant role than other factors such as air pollution in development of respiratory diseases, and future studies for investigating respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function parameters, biological monitoring and measurement of respiratory hazard need to be performed. � 2016 NRITLD, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Iran