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Cited by 23Occupational Health and Safety in WorkplacesErgonomics and Musculoskeletal DisordersSoftware Engineering and Design Patterns

Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Female Readymade Garment Workers in Bangladesh: A Comparative Study Between OSH Compliant and Non-Compliant Factories

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Nabi, Mohammad Hayatun, Kongtip, Pornpimol, Woskie, Susan, Nankongnab, Noppanun, Sujirarat, Dusit, Chantanakul, Suttinun·2021·Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
DOI 10.2147/rmhp.s297228PMC PMC7979324
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Abstract

PURPOSE: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common occupational diseases responsible for work restriction and absenteeism. The purpose of the study was to compare the prevalence of MSDs between ready-made garment (RMG) factories that are compliant versus non-compliant with International Labor Organization (ILO) based Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards, and to identify other factors associated with a higher prevalence of MSDs. METHODS: A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 randomly selected female workers (age: >18 years; ≥1 year of work experience) from 12 randomly selected RMG factories in the Dhaka district of Bangladesh from February to December 2019. Factories were stratified as OSH compliant or non-compliant. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consist of socio-demographic, work-related factors, and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for MSD assessment. Robust Poisson regression was used to investigate the association of MSDs with OSH compliance, socio-demographic and other work-related factors. RESULTS: Respondents' mean age was 26.9 ± 5.9 years. A total of 235 (57%) of the workers reported musculoskeletal pain in at least one body part during the last month. Among the nine reported MSDs, the prevalence of lower back pain was highest (41%) followed by pain in the knees (33%). Multivariable analysis showed lower prevalence of any MSD among workers in OSH compliant factories [aPR = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.31-0.58], and workers with regular working hours (8 hrs/day) [aPR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.62-1.00]. The risk of developing any MSD was significantly higher for age group 25-30 years [aPR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.01-1.33] and age group ≥31 years [aPR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04-1.1.39]. CONCLUSION: The study found a high burden of musculoskeletal disorders among female RMG workers, especially those in non-OSH compliant factories that work long hours. Enforcement of minimum ILO-based OSH standards and introduction of low-cost interventions to improve working conditions in non-compliant factories would help sustain the pace of development in this sector in Bangladesh, and ensure the health of the women who work there.

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  • MSDs are especially frequent in manufacturing industries and extend to various labor groups.

    “Además, no se limitan únicamente a estos sectores corporales, ya que su incidencia se extiende a diversos grupos laborales, siendo especialmente frecuentes en industrias manufactureras [26], [27].”

    From Impact of ergonomics on work performance in the manufacturing industry: A systematic review (2025) · cites this paper as [26]

    The Discussion reports MSD prevalence among garment, steel, bank, and office workers, supporting the claim that MSDs affect diverse occupational groups. It reports high prevalence among garment and steel workers but does not establish that MSDs are especially frequent in manufacturing compared with other industries. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • Musculoskeletal injuries (MSDs) represent one of the main problems derived from deficient working conditions.

    “destacándose las lesiones musculoesqueléticas (MSD) representan uno de los principales problemas derivados de condiciones laborales deficientes [8], [14], [26].”

    From Impact of ergonomics on work performance in the manufacturing industry: A systematic review (2025) · cites this paper as [26]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Nabi, M. H., Kongtip, P., Woskie, S., Nankongnab, N., Sujirarat, D., & Chantanakul, S.
Affiliations
  • North South University (BD)
  • Mahidol University (TH)
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (US)
Corresponding author
Kongtip, Pornpimol
ORCID
Venue
Risk Management and Healthcare Policy
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2021-03
Volume
Volume 14
Pages
1119-1127
ISSN
1179-1594 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2147/rmhp.s297228
PMC
PMC7979324
OpenAlex
W3139088338
Cited by
23
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2
FWCI
5.76
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Dove Medical Press (Taylor and Francis Group) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Safety in Workplaces
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Social Sciences › Development › Software Engineering and Design Patterns
Keywords
musculoskeletal disorders, female garment workers, low back pain, knee pain, working hours, working conditions, Bangladesh garment industry, occupational risk factors, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, working-age women

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