Occupational Risk Factors of Low Back Pain among Ammunition Engineering Industry in West Shoa Zone, Ethiopia, 2017

Abstract

Background: Work related back disorder is one of the most prevalent work related disease affecting working population. Estimating the burden of occupational disease among ammunition engineering industry is an important to improve the health and safety of workers.Objective: To identify the magnitude and factors related with occupational factors of back pain among ammunition engineering industry in West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.Methods: Am institutional cross sectional study was deployed among 660 workers. Detailed information on socio-demographic conditions, organizational factors, personal factors, working environment and musculoskeletal symptoms were obtained in face-to-face interviews. Nordic Questionnaires were used to measure the outcome of interest, low back pain, as a worker experiencing self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower back were defined by aches, pain, or discomfort during the last 12 months. Both bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine the degree of association by using odds ratio with 95% CI.Results: From the total respondents included in the study the prevalence of self-reported low back pain was 384(58.2%). Employees with no attended any training related with occupational health and safety and ergonomics were 2.5 times having the chance of developing work related low back pain than those attended the training.Conclusion: The study findings identified that the pre-employment medical examination(previous MSDs), load of the work and the provision of occupational health and safety training is highly a significant factors for developing of low back pain among workers engaged in ammunition engineering industry.

Keywords: Ammunition Engineering, Low back pain, musculoskeletal disorders