Injuries to the Lumbosacral Region in a Gearbox Factory

An accident model was used to collect data on all reported accidents in a gearbox factory during 1974. The model clearly differentiates between the various components of an accident such as events, personal movements and objects or substances. The data were used to study the causes of lumbosacral injuries and the anatomical distribution of injuries in all slipping and tripping accidents. A production labour force of 2000 men sustained a total of 99 lumbosacral injuries and 54 led to absence of one or more days. Slipping accidents accounted for 20 lost-time lumbosacral injuries and 17 patients who lost time, experienced a sudden onset of low back pain whilst lifting, straining or stooping. The lumbosacral region was the part of the body most commonly injured in lost-time slipping accidents. In this gearbox factory, slipping accidents are more numerous than in the average factory due to extensive use of cutting oil. Nevertheless, the number of lumbosacral injuries caused by slipping is probably underestimated in most factories because accident classifications do not clearly distinguish between various components of accidents such as events, e.g. falls, movements, e.g. handling and objects, e.g. machinery.