Abstract: Industrial workers, including cashew workers, often face work-related issues, including Pain, Musculoskeletal Discomfort (MSD) affecting muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Work-related MSD (WMSD) & pain usually develop over time due to the nature of the work, environment, or machinery used. This study aimed to address that gap by identifying the intensity of pain and MSD among cashew workers, examining gender-based and task-specific differences, and highlighting the importance of joint protection, work simplification, and energy conservation techniques as preventive measures.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 40 cashew workers from Boovikanam and nearby areas in Kasaragod district, Kerala, who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a convenient sampling technique. Standardised assessment tools, namely Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), were used to evaluate WMSD and pain intensity. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26.
Results: Findings revealed a significant risk of WMSD among cashew workers, particularly during shelling and peeling activities. Most shelling workers demonstrated medium risk, while peeling workers demonstrated higher, very high-risk scores on REBA. Moderate pain intensity was common in both groups on the VAS. A significant positive correlation was observed between pain intensity and WMSD among male workers (r = 0.725, p < 0.001) and female workers (r = 0.538, p = 0.014), indicating that higher pain levels were associated with increased WMSD risk.
Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for ergonomic interventions, especially for workers with mild to severe pain. Gender differences were also observed; males commonly reported moderate pain, whereas females showed a wider range of pain intensities.
Author Keywords: Cashew Workers; Ergonomics; Pain; Survey Study; Work-Related Musculoskeletal Discomfort.
Author Affiliations: PM, TG: Sri Sri University; AJ: Akkara Foundation
Corresponding Author: A Jagadeesh—ajagadeeshmars@gmail.com
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