International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing

Countries”

Analysis of Workload On Complaint of

Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in Furniture’s
Workers at Surabaya City 2017

Wiwik Afridah1, Puji Astuti2, Friska Ayu1

1Departement of Public Health,Faculty of Health Nahdlatul Ulama Surabaya

University, Indonesia.
2Departement of Nursing and midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and midwifery Nahdlatul

Ulama Surabaya University, Indonesia.

Corresponding Author: wiwik@unusa.ac.id
 BACKGROUND
Any workplace has variety of potential hazards that may affected the health of the
workforce , one type of work that has the potential for the occurrence of
occupational diseases is Furniture’s Workers

MusculoskeletaL Disorders (MSDs) are pathological conditions that affect the normal
functioning of the fine tissues of the Musculoskeletal system that includes the nervous
system, tendons, muscles and supporting structures such as an interventional discus that
can cause inflammation and weakening of body functions (NIOSH, 2011)

The United States, a developed country in the manufacturing industry, has

noted that work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) is the
leading cause of Occupational Diseases and loses 846,000 working days
each year.

One of the occupational activities that is at risk for complaints of MSDS is a

furnitures worker that many carry lifting and transporting goods, processing
raw woods into furniture with manual handling that rely on physical
strength such as hand muscles, arms, back and legs.

The results of the initial survey conducted on furniture’s workers through interviews using the
Nordic Body Map questionaire it’s known that most workers feel a complaint on the neck and
shoulders (Upper Extremitas) because the process of cutting and subtilize the wood are the
activity most often done every day over with repetitive frequency.

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 PURPOSE

“This research purpose to analysis of workload

on complaint of Musculoskeletal Disorders
(MSDs) in Furniture’s Workers at Surabaya City”

*workload, working periode (years), duration of work, and work position

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 METHODS
• Observational research and Analytic research
with cross sectional study design
Study Design

• Quantitative (real time observation)

Data Collection • Data was obtained then analyzed using SPSS
program using chi square test.
and Analysis
• This research was conducted in Furniture
Location and Industrial area of Jalan Semarang Surabaya
City.
Participants
International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)
“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 RESULT
Tabel 1
Characteristics of Respondents n %  Tabel 1 showed that the characteristics of
36-60 27 67.5 furniture’s workers at Furniture Industrial
Age
20-35 13 32.5 Area Jalan Semarang Surabaya City which
Cut, Assemble and Subtilize 22 55.0
became respondents in this study mostly
the Wood over the age of 35 years old as many as 27
Type of Work people (67.5%) and 13 people are aged
Cut and Subtilize the wood 13 32.5
less than 20 years old with an average
Subtilize the wood 5 12.5
working period of more than 5 years as
Normal 29 72.5
IMT many as 27 people (67.5%) and 22 people
Pre-Obesity 11 27.5
have duration work more than 8
Not Ergonomic 23 57.5
Work Position hours/day.
Ergonomic 17 42.5
 From 40 furniture’s worker whose
Working period >5 years 27 67.5 become respondent in this study, only 17
(year) 1-5 yearssp 13 32.5 respondent (42.5%)who did their work
Duration of >8 hour/day 22 55.0 with ergonomic position and 23
work (hour) 8 hour/day 18 45.0 respondent (57.5%) did their work with
Heavy workload 21 52.5 not ergonomic position, so 25 respondent
Workload
Medium workload 19 47.5 felt complaint of Musculoskeletal
There are Complaint 25 62.5 Disorders (MSDs) while working or after
MSDS Complaint
No Complaint 15 37.5 finish their work.
Total 40 100.0
International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)
“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 RESULT
Tabel 2
Welder’s Flash Complaint
Work Factor
(Dependent Variabel)
(Independent Variabel) Conclusion
Probability Value Koefisien Value
(P-value) Correlation (r)
Working periode (year) 0.000 0.560 Significant
Duration Of Work 0.000 0.650 Significant
(hour)
Workload 0.011 0.372 Significant
Work Position 0.002 0.435 Significant

• Tabel 2 showed statistical test result using chi square test to independent variable
with complaint of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in furniture’s workers at
Surabaya City, there have relationship complaint Musculoskeletal Disorders
(MSDs)with working periode (0.000), duration of work (0.000), workload (0.011)
and work position (0.002) in Furniture’s Workers at Surabaya City.
• Musculoskeletal system complaints generally was occur because of excessive muscle
construction due to overloading of heavy workloads with long duration of loading.

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 DISCUSSION
In this research showed there are 4 factors can cause of MSDS complaints to the
furniture’s workers in Jalan Semarang are duration of work, working period, work
position and workload.
Most of the workers who become respondent in this study was worked more than 5 years with
duration of work more than 8 hour/day and all of them had MSDs complaints, because the longer
a person’s to work then Muscular endurance often used for work will decrease this happens
because musculoskeletal disorders disease is a chronic disease that takes a long time to develop
and manifest in one's body.
• The result of this study are in accordance with research conducted by Hendra and Rahardjo
(2009)that workers who have a working period of more than 4 years have a risk of 2.775
times compared with workers with a working period less than 4 years.

Musculoskeletal complaints that was occur in furniture workers because heavy workload,
excessive stretching of muscles in general often complained by the workers, where work activities
require large mobilization such as lifting weights and repetitive movements

• In this study there is a significant relationship between workload with MSDs complaints.
Excessive workload can cause excessive stretching of the muscles can reduce the thickness of
the intervertebral disc or the element that lies between the spinal segments that will pose a
risk of spinal pain.

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 DISCUSSION
In this study there is a significant relationship between workload with MSDs
complaints. Excessive workload can cause excessive stretching of the muscles can
reduce the thickness of the intervertebral disc or the element that lies between the
spinal segments that will pose a risk of spinal pain. The result of this study are in
accordance the statement of the Tarwaka which states that Excessive workload will
result in good job stress physical and psychological and emotional reactions, such as
headaches, musculoskeletal complaints and irritability

Work position in this research can be categorized as unnatural workposition (not

ergonomic) and natural work position (ergonomics), most of the furniture workers
working with unnatural positions(not ergonomic) so will be risk to have MSDs
complaint. This result of this study in line with research was conducted by PT. Kresna
Duta Agrindo Jambi that there was significant relationship between work position with
MSDs complaint, which workers who work with unnatural position(not ergonomics) are
more likely to felt MSDs complaint(96%) than workers who work with a natural work
position (4%)

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION
1. Most of the furniture’s workers at Jalan Semarang feel MSDs complaints
2. There was significant relationship between duration of work, working period,working position
and workload with Musculoskeletal complaints.
3. Extend working periods and duration of work will increase the symptoms of Musculoskeletal
complaints because they will do the same job and with repetitive motion.
4. Excessive workload can cause excessive stretching of the muscles can reduce the thickness of
the intervertebral disc or the element that lies between the spinal segments that will pose a risk
of spinal pain.
5. Work Position of furniture’s worker that working position with a standing position of tense /
stiff, neck position that tend to bend and body position that tends to tilt will be effected to
MSDs complaint.
6. There was suggestions that can recommended to the owner’s of furniture industrial must
provide the personal protective equipment (PPE) was appropriate to all workers and the owner
gives an appeal to the workers to do little stretching while working.
7. Suggestions to all furniture’s worker should do an ergonomic work position during work,
duration of work not more than 8 hours / day and sometimes to get exercise (warm up) briefly
5-10 minutes before and after work, this case to do for the muscles will not stiff.

International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)

“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing Countries”
 International Conference on Occupational Health and Safety (ICOSH)
“Occupational Health and Safety Trends and The Challenges in Developing
Countries”

Thank You