Occupational low back pain in reports of workers' casualties between 2018 and 2019

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Reports of workers' casualties include occupational low back pain (LBP), accounting for approximately 60% of compensable occupational disease. While LBP has become an important safety and health problem, the occurrence of occupational LBP has not been analyzed recently. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of occupational LBP in reports of workers' casualties between 2018 and 2019. METHODS: The study included 10,208 cases of occupational LBP (2018, n = 5,043; 2019, n = 5,165). Data on the location and date of industrial accidents, as well as type and size of business, age, sex, and leave period of the victims were tabulated. RESULTS: The number of occupational LBP cases was the highest in the health and hygiene industry (31.3%), followed by the commercial, manufacturing, and transportation industries. In the health and hygiene industry, social welfare facilities were listed in 24.3% of the total cases, and many caregivers suffered from LBP. Occupational LBP cases were less in cold regions and few during the cold period between November and January. Several occupational LBP cases occurred on Mondays following a holiday, and approximately 40% occurred between 9 a.m. and 12 a.m. Occupational LBP was frequently reported in workplaces with a volume of 10-49 workers, such as social welfare facilities in terms of business type. In terms of work-related accident victims per 100,000 workers, women were slightly more prone to LBP than men, and most of them were in their 20s and 30s. Approximately 60% of the leave period taken by victims was 2 weeks maximum. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational LBP was experienced by most workers in workplaces with at least 10-49 workers, such as social welfare facilities, between 2018 and 2019. In addition, LBP was more common in women than in men. Most workers with LBP take a leave period of 2 weeks. Suitable measures should be taken to prevent occurrences of occupational LBP.