Manual Lifting Task Methods and Low Back Pain among Construction Workers in the Southwestern Nigeria
This study evaluated manual lifting tasks methods among construction workers in Southwestern Nigeria. The aim was to determine the level of inclusion of ergonomics in the work methods. Single-task lifting analysis based on National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) was used to evaluate 32 jobs involving 250 healthy workers. The result shows single task lifting index (STLI) greater than 1.0 for more than 75% of the jobs. The result indicated that more than 70% of the total workers are at an increased risk of lifting-related discomfort. Level of ergonomics inclusion in the work methods is low. More than sixty three percent (63%) of the workers had no regular ergonomics training that could expose them to better method(s) of lifting. Redesigning of work methods is necessary. Managers in the industry need proactive measures to incorporate ergonomics into their job methods to achieve STLI values of 1.0 or less.
