MUSCULOSKELETAL

DISORDERS
Work-related musculoskeletal
disorders
They are cumulative (occur over
time and not a result of a single incident):

•Often occur when the physical demands of

work cause wear and tear

•Involve soft tissues such as muscles,

tendons, ligaments, joints, nerves, blood
vessels
Work-related musculoskeletal
disorders
They are not acute injuries such as:
•Broken bones
•Cuts
•Slips
•Falls
•Trips
•Motor vehicle accidents
•Being struck by or caught with objects
Hazards

 Work operations are necessary in

many industries such as welding,
construction, manufacturing,
maintenance, etc.

 Welding has several hazardous

conditions for women and men in
these jobs.
WMSD Hazards
Worked-related musculoskeletal
disorders (WMSD) hazards such as:
 awkward body postures,
 lifting heavy equipment or materials,
 static postures for prolonged periods,
 awkward postures of the wrist, etc.
Common disorders
 Back injuries
 Shoulder pain/loss of range of motion
 Tendinitis/Bursitis
 Reduced muscle strength
 White finger
 Carpal tunnel syndrome
 Knee joint diseases
WA State-funded compensable claims
1994-2004
Welders, Cutters, Solderers
By Nature of Injury
Other
13%

Sprains account for Neural

5%
Sprains
32%

more than 1/3 of the Ill-Def

compensable claims Symptoms

9%

among welders in the

State of Washington. Hearing loss
11%
Contussion/
Fracture/ Cut/

Some of those could be Dislocation Scratches

14% 16%

caused by hazardous
WMSD exposures.
WMDS hazards most common in
work
OFTEN, MORE THAN 1 RISK FACTOR IS PRESENT

 Rigorous manual precision requirements

◦ High degree of uniformity

 Awkward and static postures

◦ Difficult work position

 Heavy lifting, difficult material handling

◦ Heavy objects, heavy welding equipment

 Repetition
◦ High work intensity
Hazard Elements

Duration (how long?)

Frequency (how often?)

Intensity (how hard?)

Common postures adopted in
welding
Working in Working at
front ground level,
precision work

Working at Working at
ground ground level,
level confined space

Working Working above

above the shoulders,
shoulders confined space

‡From: Torner et al, 1991

Awkward postures in work

 Severe torso
flexion
 Torso twisting
 Kneeling, squatting
 Bent wrists
 Neck
flexion/extension
 Shoulder
flexion/abduction
(separation)
POSTUR DUDUK
MANUAL HANDLING
HAZARD ERGONOMI & BIOLOGI
Hazard human error
MUSCULOSKELETAL DISSORDERS

Repetition of work

High Risk Repetition Rates by Different Body Parts

Body Part Repetitions Per

Minute
Shoulder More than 2½
Upper Arm/Elbow More than 10
Forearm/Wrist More than 10
Finger More than 200

From Kilbom Å [1994]. Repetitive work of the upper extremity; Part II: The
scientific basis for the guide. Int J Ind Erg 14:59–86.