City bus driving and low back pain: A study of the exposures to posture demands, manual materials handling and whole-body vibration

被引:93
作者
Okunribido, Olanrewaju O. [1 ]
Shimbles, Steven J. [1 ]
Magnusson, Marianne [1 ]
Pope, Malcolm [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Aberdeen, Liberty Safework Res Ctr, Dept Environm & Occupat Med, Aberdeen AB25 2ZP, Scotland
关键词
bus; drivers; exposure; vibration; posture; MMH; low back pain;
D O I
10.1016/j.apergo.2006.01.006
中图分类号
T [工业技术];
学科分类号
08 ;
摘要
A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate worker exposure to posture demands, manual materials handling (MMH) and whole body vibration as risks for low back pain (LBP). Using validated questionnaire, information about driving experience, driving (sitting) posture MMH, and health history was obtained from 80 city bus drivers. Twelve drivers were observed during their service route driving (at least one complete round trip) and vibration measurements were obtained at the seat and according to the recommendations of ISO 2631 (1997), for three models of bus (a mini-bus, a single-decker bus, a double-decker bus). The results showed that city bus drivers spend about 60% of the daily work time actually driving, often with the torso straight or unsupported, perform occasional and light MMH, and experience discomforting shock/jerking vibration events. Transient and mild LBP (not likely to interfere with work or customary levels of activity) was found to be prevalent among the drivers and a need for ergonomic evaluation of the drivers' seat was suggested. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:29 / 38
页数:10
相关论文
共 21 条
[1]   THE BACK PAIN OF BUS DRIVERS - PREVALENCE IN AN URBAN AREA OF CALIFORNIA [J].
ANDERSON, R .
SPINE, 1992, 17 (12) :1481-1488
[2]   Occupational categories and sickness absence certified as attributable to common diseases [J].
Benavides, FG ;
Benach, J ;
Mira, M ;
Sáez, M ;
Barceló, A .
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, 2003, 13 (01) :51-55
[3]   LOW-BACK DISORDERS IN AGRICULTURAL TRACTOR DRIVERS EXPOSED TO WHOLE-BODY VIBRATION AND POSTURAL STRESS [J].
BOVENZI, M ;
BETTA, A .
APPLIED ERGONOMICS, 1994, 25 (04) :231-241
[4]  
Costa G., 2001, J HUMAN ERGOL, V30, P401
[5]   Optimal control of gear shift operations in automatic transmissions [J].
Haj-Fraj, A ;
Pfeiffer, F .
JOURNAL OF THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE-ENGINEERING AND APPLIED MATHEMATICS, 2001, 338 (2-3) :371-390
[6]   Hospital admissions among male drivers in Denmark [J].
Hannerz, H ;
Tüchsen, F .
OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, 2001, 58 (04) :253-260
[7]   Apparatus for measurement of engagement characteristics of a wet clutch [J].
Holgerson, M .
WEAR, 1997, 213 (1-2) :140-147
[8]  
Jin K, 2000, Int J Occup Environ Health, V6, P26
[9]   Workplace risk factors and occupational musculoskeletal disorders, part 1: A review of biomechanical and psychophysical research on risk factors associated with low-back pain [J].
Keyserling, WM .
AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ASSOCIATION JOURNAL, 2000, 61 (01) :39-50
[10]   Effect of whole-body vibration on the low back - A study of tractor-driving farmers in north India [J].
Kumar, A ;
Varghese, M ;
Mohan, D ;
Mahajan, P ;
Gulati, P ;
Kale, S .
SPINE, 1999, 24 (23) :2506-2515