Prevalence of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) Among Aviation Maintenance Personnel in Malaysia

• Published in: Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Main Author: Ramlee S.N.S.; Tamil Selvan H.K.; Azman M.; Rafiudin N.M.; Nizam K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2024
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85209148067&doi=10.47836%2fmjmhs20.5.20&partnerID=40&md5=f76f09624f8f6fd056fbc233984a46c7

Introduction: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are a typical health problem and a significant cause of disability among workers from various fields across the industrialized world. Although aircraft mechanics and maintenance technicians experience high rates of workplace injuries, there is scarce evaluation of injury risk exposures from the various jobs/tasks in this industry. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal Discomfort/pain among maintenance personnel at RMAF in Malaysia and association between risk factors and MSD. Materials and methods: A total of 40 aviation maintenance personnel (Engineering department) from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) were randomly selected via the simple random sampling. Relevant data were collected using ergonomics assessment tools comprising Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. Results: Based on the 12-month prevalence of WMSDs, the lower back region recorded the highest percentage of body discomfort and pain (77.5%) (CI 95%: 64.0–91.0), followed by the neck region (70%) (CI 95%: 55.0–85.0). Chi square analysis for the one-week prevalence shows that there is association between age (p=0.012) and duration of services in Royal Malaysian Air Forces (p=0.008) with prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Age and duration of services in Royal Malaysian Air Forces is directly associated. Workers in the aviation maintenance industry, particularly those working in the engine bay, were exposed to a high risk of back, shoulder, and wrist region injury, which affected their well-being and productivity. Hence, aviation maintenance workers were recommended to perform routine physical exercises as an alternative ergonomic intervention. Conclusion: In conclusion, WMSD massively impacts workers' well-being in the aviation maintenance industry. Thus, an appropriate and effective ergonomic intervention, such as routine physical exercises, should be designed to protect workers from the severe impact of WMSDs. © 2024 Universiti Putra Malaysia Press. All rights reserved.