title: Evaluation of the Impact of the Revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Lifting Equation.
abstract: The objective of this article is to evaluate the impact of the Revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Lifting Equation (RNLE).
  
  
  
  The RNLE has been used extensively as a risk assessment method for prevention of low back pain (LBP). However, the impact of the RNLE has not been documented.
  
  
  
  A systematic review of the literature on the RNLE was conducted. The review consisted of three parts: characterization of the RNLE publications, assessment of the impact of the RNLE, and evaluation of the influences of the RNLE on ergonomic standards. The literature for assessing the impact was categorized into four research areas: methodology, laboratory, field, and risk assessment studies using the Lifting Index (LI) or Composite LI (CLI), both of which are the products of the RNLE.
  
  
  
  The impact of the RNLE has been both widespread and influential. We found 24 studies that examined the criteria used to define lifting capacity used by the RNLE, 28 studies that compared risk assessment methods for identifying LBP, 23 studies that found the RNLE useful in identifying the risk of LBP with different work populations, and 13 studies on the relationship between LI/CLI and LBP outcomes. We also found evidence on the adoption of the RNLE as an ergonomic standard for use by various local, state, and international entities.
  
  
  
  The review found 13 studies that link LI/CLI to adverse LBP outcomes. These studies showed a positive relationship between LI/CLI metrics and the severity of LBP outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Taft Laboratories, Cincinnati, OhioUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUniversity of Cincinnati, Ohio mlu@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Taft Laboratories, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Vern
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Putz-Anderson
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.affiliation: University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Kermit G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D017770:Lifting; D017116:Low Back Pain; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016272:Occupational Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014481:United States
keywords: Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation; impact; lifting index; low back pain; manual lifting
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2006 Nov;37(6):709-18
references.pmid: 16545338
references.citation: Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2009;15(1):113-24
references.pmid: 19272245
references.citation: J Res Health Sci. 2012 Dec 13;12(2):109-13
references.pmid: 23241522
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2003 May;34(3):215-24
references.pmid: 12737921
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 1999;8(3):179-86
references.pmid: 10413342
references.citation: Med Lav. 2011 Mar-Apr;102(2):174-92
references.pmid: 21485055
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1993 Jul;36(7):749-76
references.pmid: 8339717
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1997 Jun;40(6):650-5
references.pmid: 9174416
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2014 Mar;45(2):285-92
references.pmid: 23664243
references.citation: G Ital Med Lav Ergon. 2014 Oct-Dec;36(4):347-50
references.pmid: 25558732
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2002 Sep;33(5):463-9
references.pmid: 12236655
references.citation: Ann Occup Environ Med. 2014 Jun 24;26:16
references.pmid: 24999432
references.citation: Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2003;9(3):271-87
references.pmid: 14577945
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 1998 Dec;29(6):433-8
references.pmid: 9796788
references.citation: Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1998 Dec;59(12):871-81
references.pmid: 9866167
references.citation: Hum Factors. 2014 Feb;56(1):6-28
references.pmid: 24669540
references.citation: J Occup Environ Hyg. 2009 Nov;6(11):D73-81
references.pmid: 19750405
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2004 Jan 15;47(1):59-74
references.pmid: 14660218
references.citation: Work. 2014;48(4):539-45
references.pmid: 24346265
references.citation: Hum Factors. 2014 Feb;56(1):203-14
references.pmid: 24669554
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2003 May 15;46(6):574-97
references.pmid: 12745689
references.citation: Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2002;8(2):243-58
references.pmid: 12067513
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 1995 Dec;26(6):405-10
references.pmid: 15677041
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2001 Feb;32(1):91-9
references.pmid: 11209836
references.citation: AAOHN J. 1995 Apr;43(4):211-6; quiz 217-8
references.pmid: 7772206
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1997 Sep;40(9):916-27
references.pmid: 9306742
references.citation: Hum Factors. 1998 Sep;40(3):509-15
references.pmid: 9849108
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1998 Sep;41(9):1290-311
references.pmid: 9754032
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2014 May;45(3):420-7
references.pmid: 23849897
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1991 Sep;34(9):1197-213
references.pmid: 1743178
references.citation: Ind Health. 2006 Oct;44(4):604-12
references.pmid: 17085922
references.citation: Ind Health. 2005 Apr;43(2):337-40
references.pmid: 15895850
references.citation: J Strength Cond Res. 2010 Feb;24(2):307-12
references.pmid: 20072069
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1999 Jan;42(1):229-45
references.pmid: 9973881
references.citation: J Occup Environ Hyg. 2008 Mar;5(3):182-96
references.pmid: 18213532
references.citation: Am Ind Hyg Assoc J. 1999 Nov-Dec;60(6):777-84
references.pmid: 10635543
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2005 Mar 15;48(4):364-79
references.pmid: 15804846
references.citation: Am J Ind Med. 2009 Apr;52(4):311-21
references.pmid: 19148898
references.citation: Hum Factors. 2000 Summer;42(2):209-25
references.pmid: 11022881
references.citation: Eur Spine J. 1999;8(3):170-8
references.pmid: 10413341
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2009 Jan;52(1):71-9
references.pmid: 19308820
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2011 Sep;53(9):1061-7
references.pmid: 21866048
references.citation: Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2004 Apr;22(2):81-5
references.pmid: 15130432
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1996 Dec;39(12):1419-29
references.pmid: 8969128
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2005 Sep;36(5):535-45
references.pmid: 15927141
references.citation: J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 1996 Jan 1;6(3):265-76
references.pmid: 24572472
references.citation: J Spinal Disord. 1995 Aug;8(4):264-77
references.pmid: 8547766
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2002 Oct 10;45(12):817-28
references.pmid: 12487684
references.citation: Work. 2012;41 Suppl 1:592-6
references.pmid: 22316787
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1999 Jul 15;24(14):1441-8
references.pmid: 10423789
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1998 Aug;41(8):1155-68
references.pmid: 9715674
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 1997 Apr;28(2):75-83
references.pmid: 9414343
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2004 Apr;46(4):341-6
references.pmid: 15076652
references.citation: Hum Factors. 2014 Feb;56(1):73-85
references.pmid: 24669544
references.citation: Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2008 Jun;26(6):341-5
references.pmid: 18771617
references.citation: Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2003 Sep;76(7):505-16
references.pmid: 12783237
references.citation: Work. 2012;41 Suppl 1:5993-8
references.pmid: 22317739
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 1981 Apr;113(4):452-63
references.pmid: 6971055
references.citation: Ergonomics. 1995 Dec;38(12):2455-64
references.pmid: 8586075
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2005 Mar;36(2):213-22
references.pmid: 15694076
references.citation: Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2006 Apr;24(4):194-7
references.pmid: 16701027
references.citation: J Occup Rehabil. 2006 Dec;16(4):579-89
references.pmid: 16649007
references.citation: Work. 2011;39(4):385-95
references.pmid: 21811029
references.citation: Work. 2010;37(3):227-39
references.pmid: 20978330
references.citation: Ergonomics. 2007 Nov;50(11):1761-70
references.pmid: 17972201
references.citation: Appl Ergon. 2005 Jul;36(4):489-503
references.pmid: 15892943
references.citation: Hum Factors. 2014 Feb;56(1):44-57
references.pmid: 24669542
references.citation: Occup Med (Lond). 2005 May;55(3):190-9
references.pmid: 15857898
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2014 Aug;56(8):867-77
references.pmid: 25099415
references.citation: AORN J. 2011 Aug;94(2):173-9
references.pmid: 21802544
references.citation: Ann Occup Environ Med. 2014 Jun 24;26:15
references.pmid: 24987523
references.citation: G Ital Med Lav Ergon. 2011 Jul-Sep;33(3 Suppl):238-40
references.pmid: 23393845
references.citation: Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1999 Feb 15;24(4):386-94; discussion 395
references.pmid: 10065524
references.citation: Work. 2012;41 Suppl 1:2487-91
references.pmid: 22317092