Ergonomic Risk Factors for Low Back Pain in North Carolina Crab Pot and Gill Net Commercial Fishermen

Details

• Personal Author:
  Daniels JL ; Kucera KL ; Lipscomb HJ ; Loomis D ; Marshall SW ; Mirka GA
• Description:
  BACKGROUND: the objective of this research was to determine the association between LBP that limited or interrupted fishing work and ergonomic low back stress measured by (1) self-reported task and (2) two ergonomic assessment methods of low back stress. METHODS: Eligible participants were from a cohort of North Carolina commercial fishermen followed for LBP in regular clinic visits from 1999 to 2001 (n = 177). Work history, including crab pot and gill net fishing task frequency, was evaluated in a telephone questionnaire (n = 105). Ergonomic exposures were measured in previous study of 25 fishermen using two methods. The occurrence rate of LBP that limited or interrupted fishing work since last visit (severe LBP) was evaluated in a generalized Poisson regression model. RESULTS: predictors of severe LBP included fishing with crew members and a previous history of severe LBP. Among crab pot and gill net fishermen (n = 89), running pullers or net reels, sorting catch, and unloading catch were associated with an increased rate of LBP. Percent of time in forces >20 lb while in non-neutral trunk posture, spine compression >3,400 N, and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health lifting indices >3.0 were associated with LBP. CONCLUSIONS: tasks characterized by higher (unloading boat and sorting catch) and lower (running puller or net reel) ergonomic low back stress were associated with the occurrence of severe LBP. History of LBP, addition of crew members, and self-selection out of tasks were likely important contributors to the patterns of low back stress and outcomes we observed. Based on the results of this study, a participatory ergonomic intervention study is currently being conducted to develop tools and equipment to decrease low back stress in commercial crab pot fishing. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Biomechanical Phenomena Environmental Health Ergonomics Hunting Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Accident-prevention Author Keywords: Epidemiology Back-injuries Biomechanical-engineering Biomechanics CABS Environmental-factors Equipment-design Exposure-levels Exposure-methods Fishing-industry Humans Injury-prevention Muscle-function Muscles Musculoskeletal-system Musculoskeletal Disorders PATH Posture Skeletal-movement Skeletal-stress Skeletal-system-disorders Statistical-analysis Stress Toolmaking Tools Work-environment Work-operations Work-performance Work-practices Work Exposure Workplace-studies

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  North Carolina ; OSHA Region 4
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  311-321
• Volume:
  52
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20035451
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2009 Apr; 52(4):311-321
• Contact Point Address:
  Kristen L. Kucera, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Duke University, 2200 W Main St, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27705
• Email:
  kristen.kucera@duke.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Traumatic Injuries
• Performing Organization:
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  1141 - Fishing - (NAICS)
• Start Date:
  20000601
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• End Date:
  20030531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e404b45615a6b91340753af6d32b76d2cf0cbe474d21468fb8537ae9c93b023a3518f01344e2fda30547b8aca685835cf87841edee93be52486def882f009d7c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/187304/cdc_187304_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 138.60 KB ]