Musculoskeletal disorder among municipal solid waste collectors: a case study of sung noen district, nakhon ratchasima province

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the musculoskeletal disorder among municipal solid waste collectors and factors affecting organ injuries. Data collection used a cross-sectional survey study. The population in the study consisted of 42 municipal solid waste collectors from Sung Noen district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The research instruments were the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), a questionnaire on injury severity, and an ergonomic assessment checklist using the rapid entire body assessment (REBA) method. The study results found that in the past year, in 88.10% of the municipal solid waste collector, the lower back was the most prominent musculoskeletal injury, followed by the shoulders. Recently, the severity of injuries was considered mild (minor) and moderate (36.11%). The REBA revealed a modest risk. Immediate improvement needs additional analysis. The factors affecting organ injuries were types of garbage truck distance of waste collection, lifting a waste bin away from the body, lifting a waste bin above the shoulders for a long time, work-related muscle spasms, throwing the body weight on one side of the body, and hanging and swinging the body while working. The study results indicated that waste collectors must work involving repeated postures and lifting heavy objects, resulting in health problems related to chronic injury of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a cause analysis to find recommendations for prevention and appropriate solutions to the problem. The novelty of the results was the types of garbage trucks causing injuries to different parts of the body. Garbage trucks included three types: small-size modified trucks, old trucks, and new trucks. Solid waste collectors using old and new trucks had more pain in their arms and legs than solid waste collectors using small-size modified trucks.