THE PROFILE OF EMPLOYMENT PERIOD, WHOLE BODY VIBRATION AND

INCIDENCE OF LOWER BACK PAIN IN TRUCK DRIVERS OF PT VARIA USAHA

BANGUNTAPAN BANTUL YOGYAKARTA
Sukartini1, Sukismanto2, Nugroho Susanto3
ABSTRACT
Background: Employment period is a period or duration of workers working at a place. The
human body is a complex elastic structure with bones to support muscles and tendons and to
serve as the foundation for muscle strength to work. One of the driver’s physical working
environmental factors that may lead to occupational disease in the means of land transportation
including buses, trucks and trains is exposure to mechanical vibration from the engine. Currently,
90% of lower back pain cases are not caused by organic disorder, but by wrong body position
while working and seat exposed to vibration.
Objective: This research is aimed at identifying the profile of employment period, whole body
vibration and incidence of lower back pain in truck drivers of PT Varia Usaha Banguntapan
Bantul, Yogyakarta.
Methods: The research is a descriptive research with cross-sectional design. The research
population was all drivers working at PT Varia Usaha. The Sampling of this research employed a
total population and the sample size of this research was 9 respondents. Univariate analysis was
used to address the research question.
Results: The results of the analysis of the employment period, whole body vibration and lower
back pain indicated that after being measured, out of 9 respondents, 6 (66.7%) respondents
experienced lower back pain and 3 respondents (33, 3%) did not suffer from back pain. There
were 3 respondents having the employment period of 3-5 years and 3 respondents having 9-11
years. The result of the measurement of whole body vibration on the truck driver performed by
technicians of the Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health was less than the threshold limit
value (<TLV).
Conclusion: The results of the statistical test indicated the values of employment period, whole
body vibration and the incidence of lower back pain, back pain experienced by the driver in the
form of pain in the thoracic spine and lumbar spine which may cause lower back pain.
Key words: Employment Period, Whole Body Vibration, Lower Back Pain

1
Student, Department of Public Health, Universitas Respati Yogyakarta
2
Faculty Member, Department of Public Health, Universitas Respati Yogyakarta
3
Faculty Member, Department of Public Health, Universitas Respati Yogyakarta