Article Sidebar
Published:
Jan 23, 2024Keywords:
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Open access articles published in the Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology are under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) License which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The CC BY license permits commercial and non-commercial re-use of an open-access article, as long as the author is properly attributed.
Copyright on any research article published in the Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology is retained by the author(s). The authors grant the Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology with a license to publish the article and identify itself as the original publisher. Authors also grant any third party the right to use the article freely as long as its original authors, citation details and publisher are identified.
Use of the article in whole or in part in any medium requires proper citation as follows:
Title of Article, Names of the Author, Year of Publication, Journal Title, Volume (Issue) and page. Links to the final article on the JSRE website are encouraged.
The Creative Commons Attribution License does not affect any other rights held by authors or third parties in the article, including without limitation the rights of privacy and publicity. Use of the article must not assert or imply, whether implicitly or explicitly, any connection with, endorsement or sponsorship of such use by the author, publisher or any other party associated with the article.
For any reuse or distribution, users must include the copyright notice and make clear to others that the article is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution license, linking to the relevant Creative Commons web page. Users may impose no restrictions on the use of the article other than those imposed by the Creative Commons Attribution license.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the article is made available as is and without representation or warranties of any kind whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise and including, without limitation, warranties of title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, absence of defects, accuracy, or the presence or absence of errors.
Main Article Content
Association between work-related musculoskeletal disorders’ risk factors and different body parts affected among housekeepers in selected hotels in Mombasa County
Charles M Mburu
Abstract
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSDs) affects primarily muscles, tendons, joints, intervertebral discs, peripheral nerves, and the vascular system. WRMSDs are a worldwide issue and are experienced in both developed countries and industrially developing countries (IDCs). The prevalence of WRMSDs and their risk factors are not well known among hotel housekeepers in Kenya. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the annual prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among housekeepers in selected hotels in Mombasa County. The study also sought to assess the common body parts affected by pain as well as the WRMD risk factors associated with these body parts among housekeepers at selected hotels in Mombasa County. The study employed a cross-sectional approach. The sample size of 276 study participants’ housekeepers was obtained by considering housekeepers’ availability at the time of study at 18 purposefully selected hotels. Data collection was done through standardized questionnaires. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used for data analysis. Quantitative data was coded and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 23) for analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were utilized to analyze the quantitative data collected from the structured questionnaires. To establish the link between variables, descriptive statistical analysis, including frequencies and percentages, and inferential statistical analysis, including the Chi-square test and linear regression, were utilized, with findings displayed in frequency tables, bar graphs, and pie charts. On the other hand, the qualitative analysis utilized thematic analysis, with findings presented in narrations. WRMDs were found to be prevalent in 91.7% of hotel housekeepers in Mombasa County. The most widely reported WRMD by housekeepers was lower back pain. The study cohort also reported leg, neck, and shoulder joint and muscle pains as a result of carrying, lifting, pulling, or pushing heavy objects weighing more than 20 kilograms. Hotels ought to identify the common WRMDs among housekeepers and determine specific risk factors associated with these pains. The study's key recommendations are for hotels to evaluate their labor practices to mitigate understaffing, invest in the mechanization of equipment to ensure that staff have reasonable working hours per day with adequate breaks in between chores, and take reasonable leave. Implementing health and safety standards is crucial, with an emphasis on good posture and techniques while performing tasks. The study recommends strengthening labor regulations by raising awareness and sensitizing labor unions and health committees on musculoskeletal disorders and preventing undue work-related injuries among hotel housekeepers.
