| Document ID (ISN) | 104011 |
| CIS number |
05-471 |
| ISSN - Serial title |
0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
| Year |
2004 |
| Convention or series no. |
|
| Author(s) |
Krause N., Rugulies R., Ragland D.R., Syme S.L. |
| Title |
Physical workload, ergonomic problems, and incidence of low back injury: A 7.5 year prospective study of San Francisco transit operators |
| Bibliographic information |
Dec. 2004, Vol.46, No.6, p.570-585. 54 ref. |
| Abstract |
In this study of biomechanical factors for low-back injury (LBI), baseline information on 1,233 drivers employed by the San Francisco municipal railway was gathered during medical examinations and by questionnaire. First LBI during 7.5 years of follow-up was ascertained from insurance records. Risk factors were analysed with regression models after controlling for age, sex, height, weight, ethnicity and biomechanical and psychosocial job factors. An exponential dose-response relationship was found between weekly driving hours and incidence of first LBI. Rates of severe LBI increased 39% for every 10-hr increase in weekly driving (hazard ratio (HR) 1.39). Higher risks of severe LBI were also found among operators performing heavy physical labour on cable cars (HR 2.76) or reporting more ergonomic problems at baseline. Estimates of aetiologic fractions suggest that reduction of ergonomic problems to the low level currently experienced by 25% of drivers would result in a 19% reduction of severe LBI among this population. |
| Descriptors (primary) |
physical workload; ergonomics; public transport; backache; rail transport; drivers |
| Descriptors (secondary) |
USA; hours of work; work time schedules; questionnaire survey; frequency rates; risk factors; dose-response relationship; statistical evaluation; body mechanics; long-term study |
| Document type |
D - Periodical articles |
| Country / State or Province | Denmark; USA |
| Subject(s) |
Ergonomics and work organization
Transport and communications
|
| Broad subject area(s) |
Physiology, ergonomics
Occupational medicine, epidemiology
|
| Browse category(ies) |
Rail transportation
Ergonomics
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
|
