Development of Ergonomic Workstation to Reduce Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) of Filipino Tattoo Artists: A Study Exploring Improved Posture and Health

The Philippines has a rich culture of tattooing dating back to pre-colonial times when warriors were tattooed for their courage and bravery. As the years go by, tattoos are seen as taboo and are associated with criminality of one's mindset. Breaking the stigma, today's modern tattoo industry has been booming for the past few years as tattooing has become more acceptable, especially among the younger generations. The growing industry of tattoo artistry in the Philippines stresses different postural challenges and musculoskeletal disorders. The researchers’ methodology used is as follows: (1) survey questionnaires (2) Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (NMQ) (3) postural observation. Moreover, utilizing a goniometer for Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) has been used to quantify the risk of MSDs among tattoo artists. Among the survey participants, the most affected areas were 70% lower back, 66% neck, and 60% wrist and a total REBA score of 7–10. This indicates that tattoo artists are at high risk and need action. This study focuses on providing a more efficient workstation layout to help the artists create a smoother and more organized workspace. The proposed layout is developed with the consideration of comfortability, client positioning, lighting, and tool setup.