Ergonomic Factors Associated with Lower Back Pain Amongst Load-Haul-Dump Truck Operators at Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, Bindura, Zimbabwe
Abstract
Background Lower back pain is broadly defined discomfort or pain within the lumbar region of the human spine and it is the leading cause of function limitation, resulting in significant losses in productivity and billions of dollars in medical costs yearly. Its prevalence is estimated to be associated with a lower socioeconomic status and lower education levels. The intention of this study was to analyse the ergonomic factors linked with lower back pain amongst load-haul-dump truck operators at Freda Rebecca Gold Mine. Methods A descriptive non-interventional cross-sectional study was used with the probit model and the chi-square used as the estimation techniques. The simple random sampling method was adopted in the survey with a total of 140 respondents who are all employees at Freda Rebecca Gold Mine, Zimbabwe. The Statistical Package Stata was used 12. Results The study indicated that 77.8% of the respondents suffered lower back pain at one time or the other. Results showed an association between lower back pain with demographic factors such as experience, gender and age, organisational factors such as type and duration of shift work, biomechanical factors such as lifting and handling protocols, postures, whole body vibrations exposure resulting from work related conditions such as road conditions, equipment conditions and design and other psychosocial factors. Conclusion Therefore, the study promoted the adoption of a broad approach to reduction and management of LBP, including equipment engineering solutions to manage whole body vibration exposure, operator education, equipment assistive technology, strong equipment maintenance regime. Further interventions include adoption of best practice systems and improved clinical treatment systems.All authors who submit their paper for publication will abide by following provisions of the copyright transfer: 1. The copyright of the paper rests with the authors. And they are transferring the copyright to publish the article and used the article for indexing and storing for public use with due reference to published matter in the name of concerned authors. 2. The authors reserve all proprietary rights such as patent rights and the right to use all or part of the article in future works of their own such as lectures, press releases, and reviews of textbooks. 3. In the case of republication of the whole, part, or parts thereof, in periodicals or reprint publications by a third party, written permission must be obtained from the Managing Editor of JPRM. 4. The authors declare that the material being presented by them in this paper is their original work, and does not contain or include material taken from other copyrighted sources. Wherever such material has been included, it has been clearly indented or/and identified by quotation marks and due and proper acknowledgements given by citing the source at appropriate places. 5. The paper, the final version of which they submit, is not substantially the same as any that they had already published elsewhere. 6. They declare that they have not sent the paper or any paper substantially the same as the submitted one, for publication anywhere else. 7. Furthermore, the author may only post his/her version provided acknowledgement is given to the original source of publication in this journal and a link is inserted wherever published. 8. All contents, Parts, written matters, publications are under copyright act taken by JPRM. 9. Published articles will be available for use by scholars and researchers. 10. IJPRM is not responsible in any type of claim on publication in our Journal. .