Table 7 Musculoskeletal System

Acquah et al. [2021]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW) vs unexposed control group (CG), Ghana, January–March 2018

Overall n = 217 male participants

176 EWW (n = 73 collectors (C), n = 82 dismantlers (D), n = 21 burners (B))

41 Controls (CG)

Questionnaire incl. Demographic & occupational information

Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) (MSD symptoms in previous 7-days)

Prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort for each body part by job category showed significant differences between collectors, dismantlers, burners and control group for knee, lower leg and upper arm.

Pain scores showed significant differences by job category for whole body pain score, lower extremities and upper extremities.

Poisson regression results predicting number of body parts with discomfort based on job category and covariates were significant for collectors (vs. CG) and dismantlers (vs. CG), as well as for age and hours worked per day.

Ohajinwa et al. [2017]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW), Nigeria, May–October 2015

Overall n = 279 EWW (99% male) from 3 E-waste sites (Lagos, Ibadan, Aba) divided in Dismantlers (D) and Repairers (R)

Questionnaire incl. Sociodemographic information, work practices and injury occurrence

Injury prevalence among EWW in the last 1–2 weeks and 6 months were reported by 38 and 68%, while 89% reported to have ever gotten injured.

With 59.5% cuts were the most prevalent. Blunt injury/contusions (16%), electric shocks (14%) and burns (10%) were also reported.

Pain in the last 12 months was most prevalent in the lower back, neck, chest and shoulders.

Injury occurrence per body part was highest for hand/fingers (73%).

Burns et al. [2019]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW), Ghana, May 2014

Overall n = 46 male EWW

Survey incl. Demographics, health related outcome &, frequency of exposure to noise Noise measurements

Personal stress factors (Cohens PSS) & occupational stress score

Fair or poor health status was self-reported by 24 EWW. The mean score for perceived stress (16 highest) was 9.9 and the mean score for occupational stress (28 highest) was 18.9. A very high level of perceived noise exposure was reported by 87% of the EWW. 94% of EWW reported injuries in previous 6 months, with 7% hospitalized for worst injury. Most common injury type were cuts/lacerations/abrasions (65%) with hand/fingers (46%).

Adjusted Poisson regression model was significant for perceived noise, perceived health status and perceived stress scale.

Adusei et al. [2020]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW), Ghana, study period not reported

Overall n = 112 male EWW divided in Collectors (C), Sorters (S), Dismantlers (D) and Burners (B)

Survey incl. Socio- demographic information, injury experience, assessment of skin conditions

Injury experiences varied in the different areas of EWW activity (%): Cuts were most common among burners (90.9%) and dismantlers (94.4%), lacerations among dismantlers (74.4%). A significant difference (p = 0.038) between the groups was found for abrasions (38.5%) with dismantlers as most frequently affected group.

Acquah et al. [2021]

Cross-sectional: exposed e-waste worker (EWW) vs unexposed control group (CG), Ghana, August–October 2018

Overall n = 217 male participants

176 EWW divided in 73 Collectors (C), 21 Burners (B) and 82 Dismantlers (D)

41 Controls (CG)

Questionnaire incl. Demographic information and workload

CMDQ & Occupational Physical Activity Questionnaire (OPAQ)

Pain scores of EWW were significantly higher for lower (p = 0.051) and upper extremity (p = 0.012) compared to the control group. Lower, upper back and neck pain were non-significantly more prevalent in EWW compared to the controls, as were self-reported activities and exposures such as prolonged walking, standing and sitting, daily lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling, and handling heavy loads.