Abstract
Mining is considered one of the jobs which have challenging consequences. Mineworkers are exposed and at risk of injuries due to the nature of their job which is physically demanding. Ergonomic factors associated with lower back pain (LBP) was of concern in the study because occupational health is of great importance. The rate of lower back pain has been drastically increasing in the mining sector. Lower back pain has been ranked among the most common occupational health problems. High absenteeism has increased due to LBP, low productivity as well as disability, especially among older employees. Lower back pain has not been given much attention in the workplace; hence this motivated the researcher to carry out the study.
The research on ergonomic factors associated with lower back pain amongst mining employees is limited. The study aimed to explore the ergonomic factors associated with lower back pain among mineworkers in Zimbabwe. The overall objective is to understand risk factors which lead to lower back pain.
An administered questionnaire was used to gather data related to the study. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 27 software was used to analyse data. The variables measured in the study included the rate of lower back pain amongst mineworkers at Trojan Mine. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the samples from the employees from the mining sections. The study managed to have N = 189 participants who took part in the research. From a population sample of 189 mine employees, it was noted that n = 131 (69.31%) experienced lower back pain during the period of July 2021 to August 2022, whilst n = 58 (30.82%) respondents of the same population did not experience this health condition.
The ergonomic factors leading to LBP amongst mining employees were identified. The ergonomic factors having an impact on LBP may include repetitive tasks and frequent use of arms during working. Hence, the study recommends the need to improve training and awareness for the mining employees on the lifting techniques and postural factors which contribute to lower back pain. Also, employees should report incidents of lower back pain to prevent development of chronic lower back pain which is recurring. In addition, the Occupational Safety and Health legislations should include occupational exposure limits on vibration.