Journal of Ergonomics
Open Access

Abstract

A Survey of Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevalence in the Kiln Brick Moulding Industry in Botswana

Oanthata Jester Sealetsa and Richie Moalosi

Musculoskeletal disorders are reported to occur as a result of jobs that put muscles under unnecessary physical demand. Most tasks performed in the Kiln brick moulding may expose workers to musculoskeletal disorder risks factors that involve manual material handling. Although data from elsewhere exist about these conditions, scanty epidemiological studies concerning workers in the Kiln brick moulding industry in the New Emerging Economies (NEE) exist. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the Kiln brick moulding industry in Botswana for purposes of understanding the effects of these on productivity so that proper intervention strategies can be developed to aid workers. The Body Map Diagram was used to collect data on the severity of the condition of workers in one brick moulding factory in Gaborone. The results showed that the prevalence of MSDs in this plant stood generally at 75% with back pain, shoulder pain and wrist pain accounting for the worst cases of pain. Furthermore, there was no sufficient evidence to suggest that having worked before had a bearing on the severity of MSDs bringing another dimension that workers could be bringing such condition to the work environment, therefore challenging employers to conduct medical examinations as a prerequisite for employment in the brick moulding industry.�