NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Non-chemical risk assessment for lifting and low back pain based on Bayesian threshold models.

Pandalai SP; Wheeler MW; Lu M-L

Saf Health Work 2017 Jun; 8(2):206-211

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.10.001

20048938

Background: Self-report low back pain (LBP) has been evaluated in relation to material handling lifting tasks, but little research has focused on relating quantifiable stressors to LBP at the individual level. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Composite Lifting Index (CLI) has been used to quantify stressors for lifting tasks. A chemical exposure can be readily used as an exposure metric or stressor for chemical risk assessment (RA). Defining and quantifying lifting non-chemical stressors and related adverse responses is more difficult. Stressor-response models appropriate for CLI and LBP associations do not easily fit in common chemical RA modeling techniques (e.g. Benchmark Dose methods), so different approaches were tried. Methods: This work used prospective data from 138 manufacturing workers to consider the linkage of the occupational stressor of material lifting to LBP. The final model used a Bayesian random threshold approach to estimate the probability of an increase in LBP as a threshold step function. Results: Using maximal and mean CLI values, a significant increase in the probability of LBP for values above 1.5 was found. Conclusion: A risk of LBP associated with CLI values greater than 1.5 existed in this worker population. The relevance for other populations requires further study.

Risk assessment; Analytical models; Mathematical models; Statistical analysis; Musculoskeletal system disorders; MSD; Musculoskeletal disorders; MSD; Low back disorders; Low back pain; Materials handling; Manual lifting; Manual materials handling; Lifting; Task performance; Physical stress; Physical capacity; NIOSH Lifting Equation; Quantitative analysis; Quantitative risk assessment; Author Keywords: Bayes theorem; musculoskeletal diseases; occupational exposure; risk assessment

Sudha P. Pandalai, MD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Education and Information Division, MS C-15, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226

SWHAAF

20170601

Journal Article

SPandalai@cdc.gov

2017

2

2093-7911

EID; DART

Safety and Health at Work

OH