Reduction of Acute Low Back Injuries by Use of Back Supports

Jess F Kraus; Kathryn A Brown; David L McArthur; Corinne Peek-Asa; Lupe Samaniego; Chris Kraus; Lei Zhou

doi:10.1179/oeh.1996.2.4.264

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Reduction of Acute Low Back Injuries by Use of Back Supports

Jess F Kraus, Kathryn A Brown, David L McArthur, Corinne Peek-Asa, Lupe Samaniego, Chris Kraus and Lei Zhou

International journal of occupational and environmental health, Vol.2(4), pp.264-273

10/01/1996

DOI: 10.1179/oeh.1996.2.4.264

PMID: 9933880

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of a change in back-support-use policy on the occurrence of work related low back injuries among a large cohort of employees in the retail-trade home improvement industry. Working hours of exposure, back support use, and intensity of materials-lifting requirements were collected from 1989 through 1994. Records of injury-related claims were reviewed for all documented injuries to the lower back among members of the cohort during the same period. Over 101,000,000 working hours were recorded by nearly 36,000 employees; 2,152 employees reported an acute low back injury occurring during working hours as a first report of episode, with medical-physician diagnosis and acute/abrupt onset. Incidence density rates were calculated for persons wearing and not wearing the back support. Rate ratios and prevented fractions were evaluated. Before implementation of a company-wide back-support policy, the employees had a rate of acute low back injuries of 30.6 per million working hours. After implementation, this rate fell to 20.2 per million working hours, a significant reduction of 34.0%. This effect was seen in both genders, in younger workers and in those aged 55 +, with low levels of lifting as well as high lifting intensities, and in persons with one to two years of employment with the company. The authors conclude that uniform mandatory implementation of a back-support-use policy significantly reduces the incidence of acute low back injuries incurred in the workplace.

back injury

back supports

effectiveness

Epidemiology

low back

materials handling

musculoskeletal system

Details

Title: Subtitle: Reduction of Acute Low Back Injuries by Use of Back Supports
Creators: Jess F Kraus
Kathryn A Brown
David L McArthur
Corinne Peek-Asa
Lupe Samaniego
Chris Kraus
Lei Zhou
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: International journal of occupational and environmental health, Vol.2(4), pp.264-273
DOI: 10.1179/oeh.1996.2.4.264
PMID: 9933880
NLM abbreviation: Int J Occup Environ Health
ISSN: 1077-3525
eISSN: 2049-3967
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/1996
Academic Unit: Occupational and Environmental Health; Epidemiology; Nursing; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984215041002771

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