31, October 2026

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among City Bus Conductors in Kolkata: An Assessment of Ergonomic and Psychosocial Risk Factors

VOLUME-12; ISSUE-10; OCT-2026

Author(s): Samrat Dev

Authors Affiliations:

School of Design, UPES, Bidholi Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248007, India

DOIs:10.2015/IJIRMF/202610031     |     Paper ID: IJIRMF202610031


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Public bus services constitute a vital component of urban transportation in India, facilitating the daily mobility of a large section of the population. Bus conductors play an essential role in ensuring the smooth functioning of these services by performing duties such as issuing tickets, collecting fares, assisting passengers, and maintaining passenger flow. However, the nature of their work often involves prolonged standing, repetitive movements, awkward body postures, exposure to whole-body vibration, and extended working hours. These occupational demands may increase their vulnerability to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), adversely affecting their physical health, work performance, and overall well-being.

The study included 120 male city bus conductors. Musculoskeletal symptoms were assessed using a modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, while working postures were evaluated using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. Linear correlation and regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between body part discomfort (BPD) and REBA scores. The findings revealed that the participants reported working approximately 16–18 hours per day, with most of their working time spent standing. The highest prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was observed in the legs (85%), followed by the knees (74.2%), lower back (66.7%), and shoulders (54.7%). The occurrence of MSDs was significantly associated with several occupational factors, including whole-body vibration, awkward working postures, insufficient rest intervals between trips, and prolonged working hours. Psychosocial factors, particularly dissatisfaction with earnings and low job satisfaction, were also significantly associated with the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Furthermore, statistical analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between BPD and REBA scores (p < 0.05), suggesting an association between postural risk and musculoskeletal discomfort among bus conductors. The findings indicate that prolonged working hours, sustained awkward postures, excessive workload, and inadequate rest periods are important occupational risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders among city bus conductors. In addition, psychosocial stressors may further contribute to their occupational health concerns. Implementing appropriate ergonomic interventions, improving work schedules, ensuring adequate rest breaks, and addressing workplace psychosocial conditions may help reduce musculoskeletal discomfort and promote the health, safety, and well-being of bus conductors.

REBA, Correlations, Discomfort level, Health.

Samrat Dev (2026); Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among City Bus Conductors in Kolkata: An Assessment of Ergonomic and Psychosocial Risk Factors, International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, ISSN(O): 2455-0620, Vol-12, Issue-10, Available on –   https://www.ijirmf.com/

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