A Study on the Musculoskeletal Disorders in Petrochemical Industry
After conducting an investigation of a specific workplace, 372 labor workers, who are employed at a certain domestic petrochemical company valve operating and maintenance processing section, were personally questioned about specific work-related ailments. According to the results, 57% of workers who were working in the petrochemical industry have suffered from pain-related musculoskeletal disorders in, at least, more than 1 body part. Specifically, there are more than 28% of workers suffering from pain in more than two body parts. Among the total work population, 18.8 % of workers are assumed to have a high probability of being diagnosed with musculoskeletal disorder. Also, according to the RULA checklist which evaluates environmental improvement conditions of the workplace, 76.7% of workplaces among the inspected areas have high hazardous work factors that are related to musculoskeletal disorder and needs to be improved upon and observed right away or in the foreseeable future. The prior factor has a high correlation and pain rate which is due to an improper work posture. Originally, this improper work posture is caused mostly by ergonomically incorrect facility design. Furthermore, the structure of the workplace does not consider the worker's individual build.