OBJECTIVES: To explore the correlation of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the quality of life (QoL) of male workers in a stainless steel factory. METHODS: We recruited 1015 male subjects out of 1472 workers in a stainless factory into this study when they visited our hospital for annual health examination from July 2005 to September 2005. With written informed consents, participants were asked to fill out a standard questionnaire. Information of shift work, health behavior, and demographic data were collected. Health related quality of life was assessed with Taiwan version of WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Workplace exposures to noise, dust and heat were determined based on company records of exposure survey. Data on BMI (body mass index), blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, serum lipids profile, hypertension and diabetes were collected in annual health examination. The influencing factors including age, education, marital status, regular leisure time physical activities, smoking, alcohol consumption, betel nut chewing, workplace hazards of noise, heat, and dust were explored for each dimension of QoL by multiple regression. All analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.1. RESULTS: Definition of MetS (metabolic syndrome) was made according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 19.3%. The status of having MetS had the strongest negative impact on general health (R2 = 0.035), and accounted for significant negative variance on the psychological domain (R2 = 0.033) other than educational level, marital status and smoking. For score in general health, educational level and regular leisure time physical activities also contributed to significant score differences. CONCLUSION: The scores of general health and psychological domain in WHOQOL-BREF can be candidates as parameter of outcomes measurement for evaluation of workplace health management program for metabolic syndrome of male steel factory workers.