Prevalence and its risk factors for low back pain among operation and maintenance personnel in wind farms

Abstract

BackgroundWith the increasingly severe energy shortage and climate change problems, developing wind power has become a key energy development strategy and an inevitable choice to protect the ecological environment worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and analyze its risk factors among operation and maintenance personnel in wind farms (OMPWF).MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 151 OMPWF was performed, and a comprehensive questionnaire, which was modified and combined from Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaires (NMQ), Washington State Ergonomics Tool (WSET) and Syndrome Checklist-90(SCL-90) was used to assess the prevalence and risk factors of LBP among OMPWF.ResultsThe prevalence of LBP was 88.74 % (134/151) among OMPWF. The multivariable model highlighted four related factors: backrest, somatization, squatting and lifting objects weighing more than 10 lb more than twice per minute.ConclusionsThe prevalence of LBP among OMPWF appears to be high and highlights a major occupational health concern.

Health effects of wind turbines in working environments – a scoping review

“…Sample sizes in studies that directly examined study subjects ranged from 10-603. Response rates were high in those cross-sectional studies that reported appropriate values (73-100%) (23,25,(28)(29)(30)(31)39). Proportions of female workers varied between 0-45.1%.…”

“…According to a systematic review from 2014, no evidence was identified on the association between working on onshore wind turbines and the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (26). A later-published cross-sectional study observed a very high prevalence of low-back pain among operation and maintenance personnel working on onshore wind farms (39). A fatal incident that occurred during the loading process of a wind tower was reported (34) as was a polytrauma of an electrician after a fall from an onshore wind turbine (35).…”

“…In 2016 a Chinese cross-sectional study reported an elevated 12-month prevalence of low-back pain among operational and maintenance personnel of onshore wind farms (88.74 %) (39). Statistically significant risk factors were squatting >4 hours a day, lifting objects weighing >10 pounds if done >2 minutes for >2 hours a day, and the presence of somatization.…”

“…Proportions of female workers varied between 0-45.1%. Of the 20 publications, 6 reported on the influence of substances used in rotor blade manufacturer companies on workers' health (27-32), 5 on (on-or offshore) wind turbine accidents (resulting in fatality or injury) (34,35,37,38,41), 4 on the influence of noise from onshore wind turbines on workers' health (22)(23)(24)40), 2 on medical incidents on offshore wind farms (33,36), 2 on musculoskeletal disorders among onshore wind technicians (26,39), and 1 on workers' health in coal-fired plants and wind power plants (25).…”

“…After removing duplicates, for the total scoping review, 9537 titles and abstracts as well as 182 full texts were screened. Finally, 20 publications were relevant for inclusion (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41). For the title, abstract and fulltext screening of the initial MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL searches conducted on 1 February 2016, the proportion of observed agreement between the two reviewers was 0.97 and 0.90, and Cohen's kappa of 0.82 and 0.81, respectively, resulting in an almost perfect agreement for both screening phases.…”