Work Exposures and Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Railroad Maintenance-of-Way Workers. Issue 7 (July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Landsbergis, Paul; Johanning, Eckardt; Stillo, Marco; Jain, Rahul; Davis, Michelle
• Is Part Of: Journal of occupational and environmental medicine. Volume 61:Issue 7(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Subjects: ergonomics -- maintenance-of-way -- musculoskeletal -- railroad; 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.0000000000001614
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-2752

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: The aim of this study was to measure musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors among railroad maintenance-of-way (MOW) workers. Methods: Four thousand eight hundred sixteen active, retired, and disabled members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) completed a survey. Results: Compared with U.S. employed men, adjusting for age, race, and region, active male MOW workers were more likely to report "repeated lifting, pushing, pulling, or bending" at work (74.6% vs 46.9%), not enough staff (88.1% vs 65.2%), and a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (7.9% vs 3.6%). They were less likely to report management priority on workplace health and safety (59.37% vs 94.8%), ability to make job decisions on their own (68.4% vs 87.7%), and supervisor support (60.3% vs 90.8%) (all comparisons, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Prevention programs should address risk of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational hazards faced by MOW workers. Abstract : Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text