Influencing factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in neck, shoulder, and lumbar regions among workers wearing insulated gloves in power grid industry

Xuyang LIAO; Zekai LIANG; Qingsong CHEN; Chunguang DING; Runkun ZHANG; Guanlin LI

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Influencing factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in neck, shoulder, and lumbar regions among workers wearing insulated gloves in power grid industry

VernacularTitle:电网行业绝缘手套作业人员颈肩腰部工作相关肌肉骨骼疾患影响因素
Author: Xuyang LIAO ¹ ; Zekai LIANG ¹ ; Qingsong CHEN ² ; Chunguang DING ³ ; Runkun ZHANG ¹ ; Guanlin LI ¹
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1. School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
2. Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
3. School of Public Health, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China;National Center for Occupational Safety and Health, National Health Commission of PRC, Beijing 102308, China.
Publication Type:Investigation
Keywords: work-related musculoskeletal disorder; power grid industry; insulated glove; neck; shoulder; lumbar
From: Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):591-596
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Background As one of the primary operational methods in the power grid industry, the insulated glove working method imposes significant physical demands due to the constraints of insulating equipment and specific required postures, resulting in substantial occupational health hazards among workers in this sector, which have garnered widespread social attention. Objective To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in the neck, shoulder, and lumbar regions among workers wearing insulated gloves, and to provide targeted measures to reduce occupational hazards. Methods Using stratified cluster sampling, 1079 frontline workers were randomly selected from power supply enterprises across 3 provinces in China. The revised Chinese version of the Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire was used to investigate the 1-year prevalence of WMSDs in the neck, shoulder, and lumbar regions among workers wearing insulated gloves, and to collect factors associated with multi-site WMSDs (defined as involvement of ≥2 sites among the neck, shoulder, and lumbar). Results The 1-year prevalence of WMSDs in the neck, shoulder, and lumbar regions was 39.9%, 30.0%, and 25.3%, respectively, with a multi-site WMSDs prevalence of 32.0%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that, compared to workers with technical secondary school education or senior high school education and below, workers with junior college education or bachelor’s degrees and above had a higher risk of multi-site WMSDs (OR=2.12, 95%CI: 1.47, 3.06). Compared to workers with <10 years of work experience, those with 10-<20 years of work experience had a higher risk of multi-site WMSDs (OR=1.96, 95%CI: 1.45, 2.67). Working in uncomfortable postures "sometimes" (OR=1.64, 95%CI: 1.14, 2.36), "frequently" (OR=2.75, 95%CI: 1.76, 4.29), and "very frequently" (OR=3.55, 95%CI: 2.04, 6.19) were significantly associated with an increased risk of multi-site WMSDs compared to never working in such postures. Frequent repetitive movements of the low back (OR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.48, 2.84) increased the risk of multi-site WMSDs, while sufficient rest time decreased the risk (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.34, 0.61). Conclusion The prevalences of single-site and multi-site WMSDs in the neck, shoulder, lumbar regions are relatively high among workers wearing insulated gloves. Factors associated with multi-site WMSDs include 10-<20 years of work experience, junior college education or bachelor’s degrees and above, uncomfortable working postures, frequent repetitive low-back movements, and lack of sufficient rest time.