Background and aims: Awkward posture has been recognized as one of the important risk factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). The current study aimed at determining ergonomic risk level, WMSDs ratio and exploring working postures contribution to WMSD. During the study, working postures were phased and then they were scored using the REBA tool from observing the work.Methods: To perform the study, workers of a home appliances manufacturing factory were assessed. In order to collecting required data, each part of the body was scored and work frequency, load/force, coupling were considered to achieve a REBA score. Nordic Questionnaire was used to determining WMSD ratio and its relationship whit REBA score. 231 working phases were assessed and 13761 questions using Nordic Questionnaire were answered. Percentage of the workers in press, spot welding, grinding, cutting, assembling, and painting was 15.8, 21.6, 25.9, 34.5, 89.9%, respectively. Workers were 18-54 years old and their work recording average was 52 month.Results: REBA score was 4-13 in under study tasks. REBA score=9 had the most frequency (20%) and REBA score=13 had the least frequency (1.4%). Risk level in press, cutting, and painting was high (25.5, 100, 68.2%) cases). This shows that cutting has the highest risk level. On the other hand 38.5% of the workers in past 12 month had problem in different parts of their body.Totally 11.7% of the workers had problem in neck, 19.4$ in leg, 10.7% in foot, 82.5% in lower back, 87.6% in upper back and 7.8% in shoulders.10.7% of the workers had previous illness that 8.7% of them were non occupational and 1.9% were caused their previous jobs. The REBA score mean and ergonomic risk level is not equal in tasks (p-value<0.05) and there is a relationship between age, work recording, REBA score and risk level. (p-value<0.05, r>0). Action level was necessary soon in others.Conclusion: Risk level should be reduced specially in cutting. The heavy workload and working height poor design, awkward posture such as twisting with bending and sometimes carrying objects, standing/sitting for a long time during working shifts are some of the ergonomic risk factors.

Background and Aim: Saffron flower picking due to its position on the ground not only causes awkward body postures such as bending, kneeling and crawling but also is a routine job full of physical stress which inevitably leads to muscular and skeletal deformities in farmers’ body. We decided to do posture assessment in these persons while working to determine the posture hazard level and later recommend suitable correcting actions regarding MSDs control and prevention. Materials and Methods: 150 saffron pickers were selected for this descriptive and analytic study in farms in Gonabad. Sampling method was quotal and nonprobable. The instruments were a digital camera and a REBA posture assessment chart. We took photographs of all parts of body that were marked in REBA chart of all saffron pickers. Then, we coded all of the parts of body (trunk, neck, arm, forearm, foot, and wrist) based on their positions and according to REBA method. Later, REBA scores (A, B and Ground scores) were calculated from A, B, and C tables. Afterwards, these calculated data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The results showed that A score were 6 in 9.3% of the cases, 7 in 50%, 8 in 38% and 9 in 2.7%. B score were 2 in 0.7%, 3 in 2%, 4 in 10%, 5 in 50.7%, 6 in 26%, 7 in 8.7% and 8 in 2%. Grand score were 8 in 0.7%, 9 in 3.3%, 10 in 11.3%, 11 in 49.3% and 12 in 35.3%. Conclusion: According to the findings, Grand score is over 11 in 84.6% of the cases whose hazard levels were very high and their scale is 4 for the purpose of correcting action priority. This means that it is necessary to take immediate action for the proper posture. Also, MSDs risks were very high. Grand score is 8-10 in 49.3% of the cases. This indicates that their hazard levels were high and it is necessary to take immediate action. If the person sits on an object while working, this action can decrease the angles of trunk (it is between 20-30 degrees), knee (it is more than 60 degrees) and neck (it is more than 20 degrees) until Grand score and risk level decreases. Moreover, it is necessary to teach appropriate body postures to the farmers. Consequently, these actions can prevent the MSDs risk.

Introduction: One of the most important risk factors for developing musculoskeletal disorders is the inappropriate work of postures and since maintaining the health of the workforce promotes community development. Therefore, the workforce should be in an appropriate working environment without any harmful factors to ensure its physical and mental well-being. Among the various problem found in agriculture mentioned above, a problem commonly reported in agricultural workers in particular farmers in a rural area is work-musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) in a different part of the body. In the process of producing sugarcane, a significant part of the stage of cuttings, planting, and harvesting is done manually. A low level of knowledge about the correct condition of the body during work is one of the problems of farmers. Therefore, body status assessment methods are considered as the basis and the basis for assessing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders associated with work. We decided to do a posture assessment in these persons while working to determine the posture hazard level. The purpose of this study was to identify inappropriate working conditions in sugarcane fields at the cutting, planting and harvesting manual stages. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytical approach performed on 300 workers by using the REBA method. The Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method was used to determine the risk of MSDs. The REBA posture-targeting method is probably the most well-known method for rapid assessment of risks. The REBA method is ideal for rapid assessment of standing work. In order to collect the required data, each part of the body was scored and work frequency, load/force, coupling were considered to achieve a REBA score. The REBA provides a quantitative value to the evaluation that indicates the level of severity of each task. The calculation was made by using the REBA Employee Assessment Worksheet that has been divided into two groups; Group A (Trunk, Neck, and Legs) postures and Group B (Upper Arms, Lower Arms, and Wrists) postures for left and right. A summary of the procedure for the REBA score and the degree of risk is found in the REBA decision table. The risk score of this approach should be in the range of one of fifteen, where the higher scores signify greater levels of apparent risk. An analysis of scores represents the work’ s risks and indicates possible actions to avoid or minimize the risks. The method of work was to photograph workers in sugar cane fields of Khuzestan province during the activity and analysis of photographs using modeling the body of workers with REBA 6 software and analyzing different situations using REBA method. Results and Discussion: By cutting stage, a total of 6. 6% of evaluating postures by REBA technique obtained scores of 8-10 (very high risk level) and 93. 4% had scores of 11-15 (very high risk level) that correspond to the action level 3 and 4, respectively. In planting stage, a total of 12. 10% of evaluating postures by REBA technique obtained scores of 8-10 (very high risk level) and 87. 90% had scores of 11-15 (very high risk level) that correspond to the action level 3 and 4, respectively. In the harvesting stage, a total of 15. 30% of evaluating postures by REBA technique obtained scores of 8-10 (very high-risk level) and 84. 70% had scores of 11-15 (very high risk level) that correspond to the action level 3 and 4, respectively. The results showed that according to the REBA method, in preparation cuttings, planting and harvesting sugarcane manually, respectively, 93. 48, 90. 87 and 84. 77% of the workers' posture are in the most critical group that should be avoided. Risk level should be reduced, especially in sugarcane fields. More training and instructions are needed to have a good working position in sugarcane procedures. Improvement of working posture need to be done by improving all aspects that related to physical workload such as by reducing the workload on the back, neck, shoulder/arm, and also hand/wrist. Conclusions: A high percentage of musculoskeletal disorders in workplaces occur due to awkward posture and non-ergonomic design of the workstations for lifting and carrying of materials. To avoid these injuries, jobs should be designed in a way that ergonomics risk factors are controlled properly. The results of this study can be used to develop WMSDs preventive strategies in the workplace and improve workers’ health. Educational intervention can be an appropriate way to improve the physical condition and ultimately reduce musculoskeletal disorders. Some proposed corrective actions include: standardizing the design and construction of the work tool used by the user's anthropometric study (especially sharp sickle), establishing suitable work-resting cycles and conducting periodic examinations for the early detection of musculoskeletal disorders. Of course, given the high percentage of damage to sugarcane production during manual operation, it's definitely a move to mechanized operations in sugarcane crops.

Background and Aim: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are major parts of the occupational diseases in workplaces. In hairdressing because of repetitive motions, prolonged practice in stand postures, wrong working conditions there is the probability of musculoskeletal disorders occurrence. Protection from such diseases is dependent on assessment and improvement of job postures by using job analysis methods in ergonomics. This study was aimed to evaluate ergonomic conditions in hairdressing by rapid entire body assessment (REBA) in Birjand city and also to assess the relation between MSDs in different parts of the body and work conditions. Materials and Methods: In a descriptive-analytical study ergonomic posture of 150 hairdressers was studied by using REBA method. The prevalence of MSDs was obtained by using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). The data were analyzed by independent t-test and chi-square tests with p£0.05 as the limit of significance.Results: 39% of hairdressers were males and 61% females. The prevalence of disorders for different parts of the body was as follows: 21% for neck, 31% for shoulders, 6% for wrist, 54% for back and 69% for legs. There were significant correlations between disorders of wrist and legs with sex, leg disorder and work time, disorders of wrist and legs with REBA score's. (p£0.05).Conclusion: It is concluded that the work conditions need to be improved. In addition the level of hairdressers' education regarding biomechanical hazardous effects as well as correct work conditions should be increased.

Background & Objective: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are major parts of the occupational diseases in workplaces. Protection from such diseases is dependent on assessment and improvment of job posture by using job analysis methods in ergonomics.This study was aimed to evaluate ergonomics conditions of Hairdressers by REBA in 2011.Materials & Method: This study was a discriptive-analytical approach performed on 50 persons working at hairdressers by using REBA method. The prevalence of MSDs was obtained by using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). The data were analyzed by SPSS15.Results: In the investigation, the Prevalence of disorders for different parts of the body was as follows: 8% for wrist, 20% foe neck, 36% for shoulders, 46% for back and 84% for legs. The risk level for right part body was as follows: 4% in low level, %56 in middle, %30 in high and %10 in very high. The risk level for left part body was as follows: 4% in low level, %76 in middle,%16 in high and %4 in very highConclusion: It is concluded that the work conditions need to be improved. In addition the level of education regarding biomechanical hazardous effects as well as correct work conditions and postures should be increased.