Investigation of Observational Techniques Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Farmers - A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: Farming tasks often involve repetitive movements, heavy lifting, awkward postures, and prolonged periods of standing or bending, all of which can contribute to the development of musculoskeletal issues (MSDs) such as back pain, joint pain, and muscle strains. The consequences include decreased work time, disability, and increased financial costs. Various ergonomic risk evaluation techniques have been created for industrial fields, but there is a shortage of specific techniques for farming occupations. This study aims to offer an overview of the observational techniques of evaluate work-related ergonomic risk factors among farmers.

Methods: Articles published beetween Mar 2010 to Nov 2023 were searched in scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Iranian databases. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) was used to evaluate the quality of the articles. We removed unrelated articles using PRISMA statement guidelines and finally examined articles completely related to the study. Additionally, the GraySource and BASE databases were consulted to identify gray sources.

Results: Following three review stages 31 articles were ultimately included in the final analysis. Based on the assessment of article quality using the CASP checklist, the scores of 31 articles ranged from 6 to 10. The REBA stands out as the most commonly used technique. Additionally, sepecific techniques, like AULA, AWBA and ALLA, have been specifically designed to evaluate the ergonomic risk faced by farmers. Most of these techniques are limited to evaluating occupational factors and individual, environmental and psychosocial factors have not been investigated.

Conclusions: Considering the growth of agricultural jobs, it is essential to create new techniques and enhance the current ones. Additionally, given the complex nature of musculoskeletal disorders, it is crucial to take into account multiple factors (individual, occupational, environmental, and psychosocial) when developing risk assessment techniques.

Keywords: Musculoskeletal disorders; agricultural; farmers; risk assessment; technique.