Comparison and Agreement Assessment of WERA, QEC, and ART Methods in Evaluating Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Among Urban Taxi Drivers in Tehran

Purpose: Occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the most common health problems in the taxi driver community.Considering the importance of the workforce and the variety of methods available for evaluating the risk of MSDs, this study aimed to assess MSDs and examine the agreement between the workplace ergonomic risk assessment (WERA), quick exposure check (QEC), and assessment of repetitive tasks (ART) among taxi drivers.Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2024 in Tehran on 140 urban taxi drivers.Additional information was collected using a demographic questionnaire and a body map to ensure a more comprehensive assessment.Selected samples should have at least one year of driving experience.On the other hand, people who had a history of musculoskeletal surgery were excluded from this study.Since participation was voluntary, people who expressed their unwillingness to participate in the study could withdraw from the study.Specialists took photographs and recorded videos of participants in different postures while driving.Subsequently, the risk of MSDs among drivers was assessed using the WERA, ART, and QEC methods, and the results were analyzed with SPSS software, version 24. Results:The highest severity of MSDs among taxi drivers was observed in the lower back and knees, respectively.No significant relationship was found between age and the occurrence of MSDs among participants (P>0.05).Risk assessments using the WERA and ART methods indicated that the studied population was at a medium risk level, while the QEC method results showed a low-risk level. Conclusion:Prolonged sitting and repetitive clutch pedal use are significant contributors to increased lower-back and knee pain.The findings also revealed agreement between the WERA and ART in evaluating the risk of musculoskeletal disorders.