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Introduction: Manufacturing workers in the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP), Namanve face significant risks of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs), primarily due to unsafe behaviours. Despite the global recognition of WRMSDs as a critical issue, their epidemiology and the underlying causes of unsafe behaviours influencing them remain largely unknown in Uganda’s largest Industrial and Business Park. While evidence supports the success of participatory toolbox talks (tbts) in reducing injuries in other contexts, their application for WRMSD prevention in Uganda’s manufacturing sector remains underexplored. The overall aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of WRMSDs in KIBP, Namanve-Uganda and their associated factors, explore the motivators and deterrents of the unsafe behaviour which influences the disorders and evaluate the effectiveness of participatory tbts as behaviour change interventions in their prevention.

Methods: A concurrent mixed-methods will be applied in the first two phases of the study while an explanatory sequential design for the next two. It will be conducted among manufacturing industrial workers, their supervisors, managers and OSH officers in the KIBP, Namanve. A cross sectional study design will be used in sub-study one to determine the prevalence of WRMSDs and their associated factors. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyse this data and a multi-level logistic regression model run to present results as odds ratios. To explore the motivators and deterrents of safe behaviour influencing these disorders, a qualitative descriptive design will be used and analysis done by thematic analysis. A contextually appropriate participatory approach guide for toolbox talks will be developed using a Human Centered Design then piloted and evaluated for effectiveness using a cluster randomised trial. Analysis will then be done descriptively and logistic regression for dichotomous outcomes for WRMSDs and types of safe behaviours as well as their frequency post-intervention. Lastly, the experiences with using the participatory tbts will be explored and analysed using framework analysis.

Ethical consideration: This will be sought from the Makerere University School of Public Health Research and Ethics Committee. Registered of the study will be at the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology. Access to the KIBP will be attained through the office of the Director General, Uganda Investment Authority. Participation in the study will be voluntary and participants will provide written informed consent.

Anticipated study limitations and benefits: The likelihood of contamination between the intervention and non-intervention industries which will be reduced by the pre-existing geographical buffer created by unoccupied land between two southern estates as well as the Kampala-Jinja highway. Loss to follow-up of participants may occur which can be minimized by maintaining frequent communication through reminders before visits. This study will hopefully provide information that will guide occupational safety and health policies on WRMSD prevention using a low-cost behaviour change intervention. In addition, it will close the knowledge gap on WRMSDs occurrence in the KIBP.