Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors among building painters in South India

Abstract

Abstract The main objective of this study is to find out the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and risks among building painters in South India. Cross-sectional data were collected from 120 male building painters in South India using a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) survey. The question includes demographic information, psychological factors, medical history, work-related information, MSDs symptoms and severity of MSDs. The statistical analyses reported the highest prevalence of MSDs among building painters was reported as 70.8%. The highest prevalence rate has been found in the shoulder region (69.5%) and neck region (65.4%). It is also evident that the chief painters experienced the highest discomfort (72.0%) than assistant painters (68.4%). The repetitive task, awkward postures, forceful exertions and work height above shoulder level were reported as highly contributing factors of MSDs among building painters. The building painters who participated in this research were found to exhibit both MSDs and ergonomic hazards. Results suggest that further studies are needed to establish different preventive measures and ergonomics interventions to reduce the risks of MSDs among building painters.