Musculoskeletal Disorders study in damming construction workers by Fox equation and measurement heart rate at work

Abstract

Background and aims  Musculoskeletal Disorders are prevalent in construction workers in comparison to other working groups. These workers in damming construction worked at awkward postures for long times, so ergonomic assessment of jobs was important. Methods  This is a descriptive-analytical cross sectional study that conducted in 2008 on a random sample of workers of damming construction in Takab city (110 men) who were assessed by Nordic Musculoskeletal questionnaire and digital indicator for heart measurement. To estimate Vo2max consumption Fox equation was used and data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results  The average of total time of worked was 36.6 86.8 months. Results showed that the most prevalent (%55.5) MSDs was low back pain which was positively related with type of job, the number of standing and sitting posotions at work, total time of work, age, smoking, level of education, weight,Vo2max that estimated by Fox Equation, and heart rate at working (P<0.05). Conclusion  The results of this study reveal that prevalence rate of musculoskeletal disorders are high among damming construction workers, and heart rate and Vo2max consumption increases with increase in work load. Therefore, optimal physiological conditions should be considered and physical capacity be measured. Prior to employment of workers approperiate corrections are warranted

Keywords

• damming construction workers
• musculoskeletal disorderVo2maxconsumption
• heart rate
• ergonomic position