How common are aches and pains among garment factory workers? A work-related musculoskeletal disorder assessment study in three factories of south 24 Parganas district, West Bengal

Abstract

Context: Garment Industry is considered to be the second-largest employment sector in India. Occupational health problems among workers are often ignored, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) accounts for the majority of it. The leverage of a healthy workforce is indispensable in the smooth running of the country's economic machinery.

Aims: To find out the prevalence of WMSD among the workers and to assess the relationship of WMSDs with sociodemographic, behavioral, and occupational factors.

Settings and design: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2017 to August 2019 among 222 workers in three garment factories located in a municipality area of south 24 Parganas District, West Bengal.

Methods and material: Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, occupational differentials, and morbidity profiles were assessed using a pre-designed, pre-tested schedule.

Statistical analysis used: Data were analyzed by SPSS ver. 16.0. Logistic regression was done to determine the associates of WMSDs.

Results: Most of the workers were males (70.27%), belonged to the age-group of 36-55 (42.34%) and were illiterate (33.78%). WMSD was prevalent among 70.72% of the workers. Presence of WMSD was significantly associated with educational status{illiterate (OR: 3.59; CI: 1.56-8.22), below secondary (OR-2.89;CI: 1.26-6.62)}, sitting job (OR: 2.02; CI: 1.01-4.03), unsatisfactory working environment (OR: 8.38; CI:1.95-36.06), and level of distress {mild (OR-2.89;CI: 1.26-6.62), moderate-severe (OR: 6.98; CI: 1.46-33.25)}.

Conclusions: Improving health awareness and periodic health check-up is the need of the hour for the sustenance of the massive workforce, which can be achieved through the integration of basic occupational health services (BOHS) with primary health care (PHC) infrastructure.

Keywords: Basic occupational health services; garment factory workers; musculoskeletal discomfort; occupational diseases; pre-placement examination; work-related musculoskeletal disorder.