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ABSTRACT
Background/Aim: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) not only impact individual health and contribute to disability but also impose substantial financial burdens on affected individuals through sick leave and medical expenses. One of the industries that are exposed to high risk of MSDs is the soft drinks producing industry, where workers perform tasks that involve repetitive motions, awkward postures, manual handling of heavy loads, and exposure to vibration and noise. However, there is limited research on the prevalence and characteristics of WMSDs among soft drinks producing plant workers in Benin City. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of WMSDs among soft drinks producing plant workers in Benin City, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 121 soft drink plant workers (91 males and 30 females) aged 18 years and above, with working experience of more than one year were recruited via convenience sampling technique from three major soft drink plants located in Benin metropolis. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The Pain, Frequency, Intensity, and Burden Scale (P-FIBS) was used to assess the characteristics of WMSDs. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for data analysis with alpha level set at 0.05. Results: The most prevalent body regions affected were low back pain 76 (62.8%), shoulder pain 88 (72.7%) and elbow pain 80 (66.1%). 61 (50.4%) reported pain on some days, 58 (47.9%) reported mild pain while 45 (37.2%) and 60 (49.6%) reported significant burden on some days and the use of medications for pain relief. There was a significant relationship between the prevalence of different body regions affected by WMSDs and age, gender, working duration and working years. Conclusion: Low back pain and elbow and shoulder pain were identified as common regions affected by WMSDs, likely due to the heavy lifting involved in handling crates during the production process. Keywords: Work-related musculoskeletal pain, low back pain, soft drink plant workers, manual workers.
