Environmental risk factors for back pain in the shipbuilding industry

Introduction. People’s present lifestyle, their work conditions as well as unhealthy eating and leisure habits contribute to a more frequent incidence of spinal diseases. It is believed that representatives of certain professions are more vulnerable to suffering from such conditions than others. For instance, those employed in the shipbuilding industry seem to be often affected by such problems. It is noteworthy that a significant number of these employees seek medical help due to back pain resulting from various types of changes, their condition being confirmed by radiological examinations, such us X-ray, CT and MRI. Aim. The main objective of this paper was to determine the cause and effect relationship between environmental risk factors for people working in the shipbuilding industry and back pain manifestation and its specific localization. Materials and methods. This article discusses 66 patients chosen randomly from a local out-patient clinic for shipbuilding workers who were treated for recurring back pain between October 2008 and March 2009. Each patient’s medical history was carefully analysed to detect the pain localization and possible factors which may have caused a given patient’s condition. To establish the cause and effect relationship between the pain localization and the type of work performed in the shipbuilding industry, the following professions were considered: crane operator (9), welder (20), painter (2), plater (18), shipfitter (14), electrician (1), radiologist-mechanic (1), investment technician (1). Moreover, pathobiomechanics and ergonomics principles were considered. Results and conclusions. It was concluded that crane operators most frequently manifested back pain within the cervical section, whereas the remaining workers generally suffered from pain in the lumbar section. This study confirms that back pain localization diagnosed in various groups of professionals depends on the type of work done and is closely related to adverse working conditions. Observing ergonomics principles and pathobiomechanics rules at work as well as following safety and hygiene procedures at the workplace play a significant role in the pathomechanism of spinal diseases and their subsequent treatment.