F Fasih-Ramandi - M.Sc. student of Occupational Health Engineering, Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and Aim: The revised NIOSH lifting equation (RNLE) is commonly used to risk assessment of manual handling and can estimates low back pain (LBP) biomechanical stressors from lifting and/or lowering of loads. The aim of this study was to evaluation of manual material handling using the RNLE, LBP and disability index among workers in a tile and ceramic industry in Tehran in 2016. Materials and Methods: A sample of 30 workers (manual workers) in a tile and ceramic production line was analyzed. LBP prevalence and disability index were measured by using of body map questionnaire in combined with visual analog scale and self-report Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) respectively. Results: According to the results, composite-lifting index (CLI) value was 14.77. LBP prevalence among workers was reported equal to 100%, also LBP intensity was equal to 68.8±17.8. The mean of LBP disability index among workers has been reported equal to 41.3±17.1 (severe crippled). Conclusion: The results show that CLI value for these jobs exceeded 3, which means that there is a significant level of physical stress associated with these jobs for nearly all workers. Both strength and endurance for this job are high, so job redesign could decrease the physical demands through modifying the job layout.

Manual material handling, Low back pain, Disability index