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Introduction: Electronics assembly manufacturing workers engaged in material handling and repetitive tasks are susceptible to occupational back pain. It is one of the musculoskeletal disorders which are a significant cause of physical disability and a main driver of noncommunicable disease-related disability burden.

Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to develop a semi-quantitative risk assessment matrix and evaluate ergonomic risk factors contributing to back pain among workers in this industry. A total of 354 electronics assembly workers participated in the study. Data collection involved the use of the Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) Severity and Frequency Questionnaire (MSFQ), Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and workstation lighting intensity measurements. The risk assessment matrix for occupational back pain prediction was applied, and associated factors were analyzed using multiple logistic regression.

Results: Results indicated that lighting intensity at 76.52% of inspection stations was below the standard requirements. Furthermore, 57.63% of workstations exhibited high to very high-risk postures, necessitating ergonomic intervention. The risk matrix predicted that 62.44% of workers were at moderate to very high risk of occupational back pain. Statistical analysis identified manual lifting (ORadj=2.48;95%CI=1.13-5.44), shift work (ORadj=2.21;95%CI=1.11-4.40), and inappropriate workstation design (ORadj=3.45; 95%CI=1.42-8.42) as significant contributors to elevated back pain risk.

Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of ergonomic interventions and the application of a semi-quantitive risk assessment matrix for the prevention of occupational back pain and the surveillance of MSDs in industrial workers.