Reducing Low Back Pain and Disability in Mining

Developed by:  NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

Description: A detailed, 86-page report on describing the risks to and solutions to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in miners. There are four main sections to the report: 1) a description of low back pain development in general, 2) the risk of low back pain and injury specific to the mining industry, 3) primary solutions that directly address the risks of low back disorders, and 4) secondary measures that make it easier to modify the primary risk factors/solutions. The writing is technical and in-depth, making this an excellent resource for those with expertise in health & safety or ergonomics, but difficult to approach for those without that expertise.

Keywords: back, pain, mining, disability, primary, secondary, mining, equipment, lifting, carrying, bending, spine, vertebrae, facet