Occupational ergonomic assessment of MSDs among the artisans working in the Bagh hand block printing industry in Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Objectives. The hand block printing technique practiced in Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh involves highly repetitive tasks with awkward posture, which contribute to the development of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among the artisans, The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MSDs and the risks factors involved. Methods. An observational study and a self-reported questionnaire study were conducted with a sample of 70 artisans. The working postures of the artisans were analyzed using rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) and the occupational repetitive actions (OCRA) method. p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant throughout the study. Results. MSDs in the neck, shoulders, elbows, wrist/forearm, lower back and hips/thighs were found to be highly prevalent among artisans of age greater than 31 years and experience greater than 11 years. Most complaints were reported in the wrist, neck and lower back region. Conclusion. From the findings, it was evident that artisans working in Bagh printing are at high risk of the development of MSDs; thus, an immediate intervention is needed to eliminate the ergonomic risks among the artisans.

KEYWORDS:

• hand block printing
• musculoskeletal disorder
• rapid upper limb assessment
• ergonomic risks
• handicrafts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.