The evaluation of low back pain of the constructors working on building construction

The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to investigate the low back pain prevelance of the workers in a construction company (lifetime, annual, monthly, point) and identify the risk factors affecting low back pain.The population of the study is 347 workers working in a construction company. To evaluate the low back pain of construction workers, the questionnaire form including Oswestry scale, which examines personal information and working story, low back pain risk factors and daily life activities is applied interviewing face to face between August and September 2009. All the workers were trained to avoid low back pain and before the training, 21 workers who started working in the last 6 months were required to answer questionnaire form evaluating their information about low back pain and giving the the same questionnaire to the same workers 1 month later, the effectiveness of the training was evaluated.In this study, the lifetime, monthly and point prevelance of the low back pain was found as %53.6, %33.4, %15.3, %14.4. Work satisfaction, work monotony, weight carrying and lifting, weight lifting by rotating and leaning forward or carrying was identified as a risk factor. It was found that Oswestry points and ache scale of construction workers who had low back pain was high. It was also found that information score after the education was higher than the information score before the education and the difference between them was found as significant.Construction workers are thought to be informed in terms of personal and occupational risk factors and given education to avoid low back pain before starting to work. Additionally, low back pain prevelance which causes cost is thought to be decreased.Keywords: Low Back Pain, Consruction Workers, Oswestry Scale, Occupational Health