Journal of Health and Safety at Work

Introduction: Manual material handling activities in long and short periods may lead to complications such as laceration, fracture, cardiovascular stress, muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders especially in the vertebrae column. The purpose of this study was to assess manual handling of oxygen cylinders by casting workers and to implement ergonomic intervention to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.

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Material and Method: This is an interventional study conducted among 18 male workers of a steel casting unit. Assessment of manual handling of oxygen cylinders, was done using in order Snook tables. The manual handling of oxygen cylinders was changed to mechanical handling and making a box with the capacity of 16 oxygen cylinders which can be moved by crane.

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Result: According to the results, lifting and lowering cylinders was not suitable for most of the workers. Moreover, caring, pulling and pushing was suitable for less than 10 percent of the workers. Condition of lifting cylinders by fire workers was suitable only 25 percent of them. According to the snook tables material handling activities must be suitable for at least 75 percent of workers.

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Conclusion: With the implementation of ergonomic intervention is casting unit, the risk of exposure to musculoskeletal disorders caused by manual handling of oxygen cylinders was eliminated and safety of employees against the risk of explosion of the cylinders in comparison with before the intervention was improved.