Affiliations: [a]
Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
| [b]
School of Public Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| [c]
Non-Communicable Disease Research Center, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Majid Fallahi, Non-Communicable Disease Research Center, Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran. E-mail: mjfllh@gmail.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:The nail job is a new occupation in which the number of people who choose this job is rising. Therefore, the harmful hazards affecting the health of the practitioners should be taken into account. OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ergonomics and occupational health hazards among nail technicians in Iranian society. METHODS:The self-administered questionnaire, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Novel Ergonomic Postural Assessment (NERPA) method were used to gather data from 80 female nail technicians who participated in this study. RESULTS:More than half of the participants (67.6%) complained of coughing and eye irritation (70%) which was the most frequently reported irritation. The final score of the NERPA was at a high-risk level and the neck pain (63.8%) was the highest in comparison with other parts of the body. There was a significant relationship between activity type with disorder in the neck, elbow, hip, knee, and ankle. Lighting intensity was not significantly associated with musculoskeletal disorders. CONCLUSIONS:Concerning the low work experience, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and, respiratory complaints is high. Hence, the attention of policy-makers to the safety and hygiene issues of women in this occupation is necessary by setting guidelines and considering inspections of occupational health and safety professionals.
