Posture Analysis by OWAS Method and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Workers of Sourak Tobacco Factory in 2013

Background and purpose: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorder are the most prevalent work- related disorders and are the main cause of disability among workers. Also these disorders are the main cause of absence from work and lost work hours. These lead to reduction in productivity too. Materials and Methods: This cross – sectional study was done on 100 workers of Sourak tobacco factory selected randomly. Posture analysis was evaluated by OWAS method and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders by Nordic questionnaire. The data were analyzed using excel and Spss software version 18. Results: The mean age of workers was (43±3.97) year and work experience was 12 years. The prevalence of MSDs was 75% in the last year .the lumber region (55%), knee (45%) and shoulders (37%) were the most regions of workers complaints. OWAS posture analysis showed that the most postures are critical or need the modification intervention. Conclusion: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in Sourak tobacco factory is high and the postures are inappropriate. Ergonomic interventional programs as well as workers education are recommended.