The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and related factors of upper limb musculoskeltal symptoms among workers in automobile related jobs.

Two-hundred and twenty-one workers were volunteered in this 'study consisting of 112 seat installers and 109 auto mechanics. A questionnaire was administered to the workers consisting of questions on demographics, work type and duration, sleep hours, health habits, and standardized descriptions of NJOSH on musculoskeletal symptoms.

Complaint rates of neck and upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms by anatomical site were as follows: shoulder, 52.0%; neck, 47.1%; wrist and hand, 39.4 elbow, 26.2% and; arm, 24.4%. Significantly higher prevalence of shoulder musculoskele tal symptom was found in middle school than high school graduate, married than unmar ned, less than 6 hours sleep than over 6 hours sleep and, seat installer than auto mechanic group. A significantly higher prevalence of arm, elbow, hand and wrist mus loskeletal symptoms was disclosed in the less than 6 hours sleep than over 6 hours sleep group and the seat installer than the auto mechanic group. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified education, sleep hours and, job type as the main affecting factors for shoulder musculoskeletal symptoms. Sleep hours and job type were the main affecting factors for wrist and hand musculoskeletal symptoms. Sleep hours were the main affecting factors for arm and elbow musculoskeletal symptoms.

The prevalence of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms was high in workers who did routine tasks at confined places like seat install-line work. It is recommended that workers performing simple and routine tasks be provided adequate sleep time since lack of sleep was the main affecting factor for most upper limb mus loskeletal symptoms in automobile factory related jobs workers.