Factors Related to the Complaints of Musculoskeletal Disorders of Shelving Staff

Abstract

Introduction: Every worker is exposed to the risk of occupational accidents or diseases when working. Awkward working postures are the postures that cause body parts to detach from its natural postures that can result in the complaints of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This research aims to analyze the factors related to the complaints of MSDs suffered by the shelving staff in the library and reading room at Universitas Airlangga Surabaya. Methods: This research is observational research that applies a cross-sectional design. The sample of this research consists of 27 people chosen by using the total population method. The data regarding the individual characteristics and the complaints of MSDs are obtained through interviews and standardized-questionnaires. The data on working postures are analyzed by referring to the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method, while the data on the complaints of MSDs are scrutinized by implementing the Nordic Body Map (NBM) method. Results: Indicate that most of the shelving staff are suffered from a very high-risk level of MSDs (40.7%). Other than that, it is noticed that the working postures performed by the shelving staff are risky, for instance, squatting (high-risk level), bowing (high-risk level), standing (moderate-risk level), standing with arms stretching (very high-risk level), and standing with arms stretching while tiptoeing (very high-risk level). The collected data is analyzed by using the Spearman correlation test. Conclusion: It can be stated that the strongest factor causing the occurrence of MSDs is the years of service (r=0.803) with a positive correlation, which means that the longer the years of service, the higher the risk to suffer from MSDs.