8135792 Grocery store employees’ activities and MSDs – how to improve the workplace and reduce risks?

<h3>Objective</h3> There are several activities in supermarkets e.g. lifting products to shelves, stock packing and housekeeping. These repetitive activities can cause injuries including musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of the study was to study the association between work activities and the prevalence of MSDs in grocery stores. <h3>Results</h3> The results showed that job rotation, pressure during peak hour and prolonged standing showed significant differences between departments. The Deli department shows the highest prevalence of job rotation (79%) compared to other departments; Cashiers report the highest frequency of experiencing pressure during peak hours (60%). In association between work environment and MSDs; not adjusting shelf/storage heights to minimise reaching/stretching shows significant difference risk of leg/thigh pain in the past 7 days (3.189, 95%CI(1.162-8.750)), Task variation frequency to reduce the repetitive strain injuries show leg/thigh pain- past 7 days (3.312, 95%CI(1.170-9.376)); Feeling pressure to work quickly during peak hours caused upper back pain (3.273, 95%CI(1.291-8.299)), lower back pain (2.471, 95%CI(1.028-5.938)) and legs/thigh pain (5.100, 95%CI(1.823-14.267)) in the past 7 days. Feeling a lack of opportunities to take breaks during a shift showed risk of neck pain (3.231, 95%CI(1.130-9.237)) in the past 12 months. Using Step stools or ladders to reach high shelves could prevent neck pain (0.244, 95%CI(0.065-0.909)) in the past 7 days. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Work environments present important factors causing risks of MSDs. The findings underscore the importance of tailored ergonomic interventions and workload management strategies to promote a healthier workplace environment. Health prevention strategies should be provided in the workplace to mitigate the risks or work-related injuries.