Objective: This study aims to quantify the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and risks among male kitchen workers in the catering industry.
Method: Data were collected with the help of the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and by direct observations.
Results: In total, 114 male kitchen workers from various hostels of a college in South India were considered for this study. The average age and mean years of employment of the workers are 26.4 (SD 7.7) and 7.8 respectively. The statistical analysis carried out reveals that 67.5% of male kitchen workers reported MSDs during the past 12 months. The highest prevalence rate has been found in the lower back (65.8%) and shoulder region (62.3%). Among different categories of kitchen work analyzed, it is evident that chief cooks suffer more from MSDs (79.2%) than assistant cooks (74.3%) and kitchen aides (30.0%). Workers in the older group, i.e., ≥ 41 years, and workers with 6-10 years of experience suffer with higher risk of MSDs, i.e., 93.9% and 87.5%, respectively.
Conclusion: The male kitchen workers who participated in this research were found to possess both MSDs and ergonomic hazards.
Keywords: male kitchen workers; occupational health; risk factors; work-related musculoskeletal disorders.