Ergonomic assessment of musculoskeletal disorders risk by rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) technique in a porcelain manufacturing factory

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major part of occupational diseases and one of the main causes of disability. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of MSDs and its risk factors, and assess the risk of these disorders by using RULA method in a porcelain factory in Khorasan Razavi province. This cross sectional study was conducted on 100 working women in decoration department in a porcelain factory. Data collection of the current study was done by demographic characteristics questionnaire, Nordic questionnaire and RULA checklist. Study data were analyzed by chi-square and t-tests in SPSS-16. The mean age and work history of the study population were 28.6±14.9 and 2.53±1.63 years, respectively. The prevalence rate of 81% was obtained for musculoskeletal disorders in them. They were assessed at RULA risk level 2 and 3 with 38% and 62%, respectively. Despite the low mean age and work history of the study population, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was high and the relationship between the RULA risk assessment level and the prevalence rates of disorders showed that the risk of these disorders was higher in people with musculoskeletal disorders than people without these disorders.