Ergonomics Research of Musculoskeletal Hazards for Assemblers in Shoe Industry

[[abstract]]Shoe Industry is a kind of labor-intensive industry. Taiwan was the biggest shoes-export country during 1980’. However, shoemakers are forced to speed up to follow the speed of machine in their working environment. With unnatural posture to devote them to the repeat work for a long time will cause physical overloading and accumulative musculoskeletal injuries. The purpose of this study was finding out the situation of musculoskeletal symptoms by a questionnaire and using job analysis and NMQ to survey the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among assemblers in shoe industrial and finally, to provide some Ergonomics suggestion. After distributing 500 NMQ questionnaires to shoemakers, it was found musculoskeletal discomforts in the neck had the highest percentages of reporting at 81.9%. The result of logistic regression showed neck discomfort had significant relation to drinking habit and the years of work. Second, female, 2~4 years of work, with excise habit and lasting shoemakers had higher risk in elbow. Third, over 4 years of work, with drinking habit and sewing, lasting and packing shoemakers had higher risk in lower back and waist. Fourth, shoemakers with 2~4 years of work had higher risk in knee. However, there were no significant relations in upper back, hands or wrist and ankle or feet. Therefore, not only planning proper resting and working time, improving working envirnment and supporting tools, but making education and training strategy to enhance the awareness of health and safety to shoemakers will reduce or avoid the danger of musculoskeletal hazards