Acquah Augustine A, D'Souza Clive, Martin Bernard, Arko-Mensah John, Quakyi Isabella A, Basu Niladri, Robins Thomas G, Fobil Julius N
Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana; P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana.
Center for Ergonomics, Department of Industrial & Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2117, USA.
Proc Congr Int Ergon Assoc (2021). 2021;222:677-681. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-74611-7_93. Epub 2021 May 8.
Recycling of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is mostly conducted in the informal sector consisting of low skilled workers. Informal e-waste recycling predominantly involves the physically demanding work of manually collecting, dismantling and burning of e-waste items to extract reusable components and valuable metals including gold or copper. This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of manual e-waste recycling work on the musculoskeletal health of 176 workers at Agbogbloshie in Accra, Ghana - the largest informal e-waste dumpsites in Africa. Findings indicate significant associations between prolonged walking and weighted MSD symptom scores for the lower extremities, and between manual material handlings tasks and weighted MSD symptom scores for the upper extremities and lower back. The study calls attention to the need for ergonomics research in the informal work sector to promote safer practices and address a range of worker health concerns.
发展中国家的电子电气废弃物（电子垃圾）回收大多在由低技能工人组成的非正规部门进行。非正规电子垃圾回收主要涉及体力要求高的工作，即人工收集、拆解和焚烧电子垃圾物品，以提取可重复使用的部件和包括金或铜在内的贵重金属。这项横断面研究调查了在加纳阿克拉的阿博布罗西（非洲最大的非正规电子垃圾倾倒场），人工进行电子垃圾回收工作对176名工人肌肉骨骼健康的影响。研究结果表明，长时间行走与下肢加权肌肉骨骼疾病（MSD）症状评分之间，以及人工物料搬运任务与上肢和下背加权MSD症状评分之间存在显著关联。该研究呼吁关注在非正规工作部门开展人体工程学研究的必要性，以推广更安全的做法并解决一系列工人健康问题。
