Abstract

While some WMSDs are preventable, others are inherent to the nature of a job or the workplace. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are an important occupational health burden in construction, especially in labour-intensive workplaces where manual material handling and overexposure to working hours, as well as limited ergonomic protection, are still common. The study focused on the prevalence and occupational risk factors associated with the incidence of WMSDs among construction workers in Enugu metropolis, Enugu State, Nigeria with specific interest in ergonomic exposures and workers' experience of musculoskeletal pain. The convergent mixed methods approach was adopted, using a cross sectional survey of 356 construction workers, six key informant interviews and two focus group discussions. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression and qualitative data were analyzed thematically and synthesized with quantitative data. The overall WMSD prevalence was 80.3%. The most common 12-month symptom was for the lower back (62.9%), shoulders (55.6%), knees (51.1%) and neck (47.5%). Heavy lifting, previous occupational injury, awkward posture, repetitive movement, working over 10 hours per day and high job stress proved to be significant factors in multivariate analysis. Qualitative results indicated that the chronicity of pain was often justified as "part and parcel of construction work" and the lack of time was considered as an economic constraint that allowed to continue working despite pain. The results show that the WMSD are part of the task design, physical workload and broader organisational contexts. Prevention must thus go beyond individual coping to engineering measures, ergonomic redesign of the work, occupational health monitoring and early intervention that is accessible.