Assessment of ergonomics risk factor associated with upper limb disorders among cashiers in grocery retail industries

• Main Author: Ahmad Zuhaidi, Muhammad Fareez
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: HD4801-8943 Labor. Work. Working class
• Online Access: http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/582/1/24p%20MUHAMMAD%20FAREEZ%20AHMAD%20ZUHAIDI.pdf; http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/582/2/MUHAMMAD%20FAREEZ%20AHMAD%20ZUHAIDI%20COPYRIGHT%20DECLARATION.pdf; http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/582/3/MUHAMMAD%20FAREEZ%20AHMAD%20ZUHAIDI%20WATERMARK.pdf; http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/582/

The cashier job is one of the occupations in developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) concerning on the upper limbs mostly due to risk factors such as awkward postures, repetition motion and forceful exertions. The aim of this study was to identify the disability level of upper limb disorders (ULDs) and risk factors involved among 136 cashiers in grocery retail industries using Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Questionnaire as a survey and Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART), Job Strain Index (JSI) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) as a direct observational method. Mostly, the age of cashiers were between 21-40 years old with a percentage of 86.8%. Based on the results, it showed that most of the cashiers experienced arm, shoulder and hand pain when doing specific job regardless on their workstation or at home with a disability score (Mean = 3.5, SD = 0.5). For ART method, most cashiers dealt with frequent and repetition of the arm movements with a score of (Mean = 3.2, SD = 0.4) and (Mean = 2.6, SD = 0.7). As for JSI method, mostly the cashiers experienced with intensity and duration of exertion based on the high rating mean values (Mean = 2.9, SD = 0.6) and (Mean = 2.5, SD = 0.5) respectively. In RULA method, cashiers obtained a high mean score of leg and wrist posture with a score of (Mean = 2.1, SD = 0.4) and (Mean = 1.9, SD = 0.5) respectively. The relationship between DASH and the three observational tools shows that variables of limited work with arm movements, weakness of arm, shoulder and hand with intensity of exertion, and changing light bulbs overhead with upper arm had a significant relationship between them with a score of χ2 = 7.097, χ2 = 4.027 and χ2 = 8.536 respectively (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cashiers’ experienced arm, shoulder and hand disability due to frequent and repetition movement while performing tasks.