EH-90-2 Back Injury Within the Department of Energy
                          ENVIRONMENT, SAFETY & HEALTH

                                   BULLETIN

Assistant Secretary for                              U.S. Department of Energy
Environment, Safety & Health                         Washington, D.C. 20585

DOE/EH-0156                  Issue No. 90-2                          July 1990

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Back Injury Within the Department of Energy
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Back injuries accounted for 17 per cent of all injuries reported in the
Unusual Occurrence Report System (UOR) and Computerized Accident/Incident
Reporting System (CAIRS) for DOE from 1981-1989.  The purpose of this
Bulletin is to provide statistical information on back injuries incurred
within the DOE complex for that period.

Costs of Back Injuries to DOE

The estimated cost to DOE for back injuries is $50,000,000, cumulatively, for
the years 1981-89.  In 1983, costs reached a high of $8,642,800 for the 7
year period.  Costs were lowest in 1982 at $4,220,400.  On the average, back
injuries cost DOE $7,397,875 annually.

Occupational Risk

Laborers comprise the single largest occupational category which experience
back injury; their daily work is primarily physical.  Therefore, a higher
incidence of back injury is expected.  A surprisingly large proportion of
back injuries, and associated costs, occur in the managerial/clerical
occupational category.  Persons in this category do not generally engage in
high physical risk, but are incurring a disproportionate amount of dollar
cost for back injury.

Training is provided more often by employers for occupations where lifting
is expected.  However, training is not generally provided for personnel in
the managerial/clerical occupations where little lifting is expected, yet
lifting (e.g., cartons of paper, computer printers, books, etc.) is
frequently necessary.

Type of Back Injury

Back strain is the most frequently reported type of injury within DOE.  Strain
accounts for 85.5 per cent of the problems, with sprain a distant 6.3 per
cent.  Back strain can occur whenever good lifting techniques or body
mechanics (how you sit, stoop, bend, stand) are ignored.

Conclusion

Poor lifting technique is a major cause of back injury.  Another major
influence is the cumulative effect of poor body mechanics, such as sitting
incorrectly, maintaining a body weight which exceeds 10 per cent of our ideal
weight (e.g., obesity or pregnancy), or staying in one position for long
periods of time (e.g., cradling a phone on the shoulder).  Two publications
that address good lifting techniques and proper body mechanics are
recommended as training or informational aids, which, if used, could reduce
the risk of back injury.  These, or similar, publications should be provided
not only to laborers, but also to workers in other occupational categories
identified in Figure 2.  The publications are: Back Injury Prevention:
Protect Your Back, the American Red Cross; Remember Your Back.  Krames
Communication, 312 90th St., Daly City, CA 94015-1898.




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This publication is one of several series of bulletins published so that DOE
program managers and contractors can share information about potential
occupational safety problems relevant to DOE operations.  For more
information, contact the Performance Assessment Division, Office of
Integration, Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety & Health, U.S.
Department of Energy, Washington DC 20545; Telephone FTS 233-3732, Commercial
(301) 353-3732
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