Significant Decreasing Trend in Low Back Injuries in a Beverage Company. Issue 10 (October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kalia, Nimisha; Lavin, Robert A.; Leung, Nina; Yuspeh, Larry; Bernacki, Edward J.; Tao, Xuguang (Grant)
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 60:Issue 10(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Subjects: low back injury -- occupational injury -- workers' compensation; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; Occupational Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental Medicine -- Periodicals; Environmental health; Medicine, Industrial; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000001431
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Work-related injuries in the U.S. have steadily declined over the past three decades. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare trends of the most frequently injured body parts from a beverage company over an 8-year study period (2008 to 2015). Method: Work-related injury claims with more than 3 days of missed work ( N = 20, 203) were classified into body part groups, including low back, knee, shoulder, and all other(s). Descriptive statistics and linear models were used to evaluate trends over time. Results: The total number of injuries decreased from 6.57 per 100 to 3.79 per 100 employees from 2008 to 2015. Proportion of low back injuries decreased from 22.0% to 15.4% ( P < 0.001) over the study period. Proportionally, knee(s), shoulder(s), and all other injuries increased, but the changes did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Low back injuries decreased at a faster rate than knee, shoulder, and all other injuries.