Introduction: Nowadays different techniques are used for ergonomic risk assessment of repetitive tasks. The aim of the present study was to investigate the upper limbs musculoskeletal disorders and the risk of repetitive tasks in assembly line workers in a refrigerator factory.
Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study. At first, the task description worksheets were completed to record the data of 17 assemblers in Khorram Abad city refrigerator factory. After determining tasks and sub-tasks of each workstation, ergonomic risk of the the assemblers’ upper limbs was assessed using the Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool. The data were analyzed using SPSS software.
Results: According to the findings, the highest risk score in assemblers' repetitive tasks for the right and left hands were related to the installing internal vacuums (Risk Score=27) and refrigerator evaporators (Risk Score=22), respectively. On the other hand, the total risk score in the workstation of connecting upper parts of the refrigerators was higher than the total scores of the other assembly stations. The present study indicated that the risk level of musculoskeletal disorders of the right hand is higher than that of the left hand.
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in repetitive tasks in the assembly jobs is relatively high and requires further investigations for training workers about the correct principles of ergonomics, and appropriate design of workstations.