Duty Belts
Disability Management & Ergonomics
University of South Florida
Spring 2011

The public relies on the many individuals that take the oath to serve and protect. Corrections officers, highway patrol officers, road deputies and community police officers all wear a duty belt while performing their jobs. Road deputies patrol the roads and respond to incidents within the jurisdiction of the county lines. Highway patrol officers patrol roadways especially interstates and monitor speeding and other traffic infractions. Corrections officers provide safety during incarceration whether in the county jail, state or federal prison. Duty belts are worn by all officers during their shift eight, ten or twelve hour shifts. Officers get in and out of a car all day, chase offenders for a mile, and drag unconscious people out of burning cars while wearing an extra 10-15 lbs around the waist. A duty belt contains many tools that are required to maintain officer safety and protect the public; however, they have the potential to damage the musculoskeletal system especially the lower back and spine. Duty belts contain an under belt which is a nylon or leather belt that is inserted in the loop of the uniform pants. The over belt or duty belt is attached to the under belt with Velcro and carries the equipment. A standard duty belt contains a cuff case and two pairs of handcuffs, baton hold and a wooden or aluminum alloy baton, radio holder and portable FM transmitter radio, pepper spray holder and pepper spray, tazer holder and a tazer. The duty belt also contains a holster and a forty caliber Glock pistol and a magazine holder with thirty spare bullets. A duty belt weighs ten to twelve pounds depending on rank. Low back pain, sacroiliac joint pain, shoulder pain and leg pain are all common complaints of officers wearing duty belts. Back pain continues to be the leading overall cause of morbidity and lost productivity in the workplace (Ammendolia, Kerr & Bombardier, 2005). Contact stress and force are the two most applicable risk factors to wearing a duty belt. Contact stress results from occasional, repeated or continuous contact between sensitive body tissue and a hard or sharp object. Contact may create pressure over a small area of the body that can inhibit blood flow, tendon and muscle movement and nerve function. The holster and gun of the duty belt are positioned next to the kidneys. According to Billie O’Drain, retired Philadelphia detective, “My gun banged into my kidneys every time I got in and out of my patrol car. There have been times when I had bruises and blood in my urine.” (2010). Duty belts are risk factors due to the physical exertion or pressure they exert on the hips, thighs and lower back of officers. The weight of the duty belt increases the gravitational force on the lower extremities of the individuals who wear them. High force has been associated with risk of injury at the shoulder, neck, the low back, the forearm, wrist and hand (Ergoweb, 1995). The force exerted by duty belts is not evenly distributed on the hips and thighs of officers as the radio holster and gun holster are on opposite sides of the belt. The potential for force to create an injury is greater for correctional officers because their guns are stored in a gun locker while on duty in the jail. This creates an uneven distribution of force as the radio is the heaviest object on the duty belt with no counter balance from the weapon. Short-term disabilities that can result from wearing a duty belt include bruises, hematuria, acute back, anterior hip, and thigh and knee pain. Paraethesia in the distribution of the lateral cutaneous nerve is a long-term complication caused by pressure on the hip, pelvis and low back. Spine injuries can be a long-term complication from the handcuffs being placed on the lumbar spine. Chronic back and shoulder pain are also long-term injuries that could be experienced by unformed officers. Duty belts are uncomfortable and the discomfort seems to be more common in female and in slender or short male officers. Suspenders are one method of alleviating the discomfort of duty belts. Suspenders distribute the weight of the equipment over the shoulder and chest. A standard military Y or H suspender can be used to support a load-bearing belt and relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. The use of tactical vest is another method of reducing injury from duty belts. Tactical vest contains many pouches over the chest and back of vest allowing for adequate weight distribution. Firearm thigh holsters can reduce the risk of injury from the hard edge of the gun holster. The weight of the gun is countered by the radio and other equipment that can be placed on the opposing thigh. A swivel cant holster cant can be instrumental in decreasing officer injury. The swivel can holster changes to a more horizontal position when the officer is seated in the vehicle. According to Czarnecki and Janowitz (2003), “the backrests of contoured, bucket seats tend to press against the weapon and radio when an officer is seated. This position deprives the officer of adequate lumbar support.” Ergonomically designed seats with adequate lumbar support can reduce the pressure on the trunk and hips. Many agencies are reluctant to use thigh holsters due to the aggressive appearance of the equipment. Other agencies decline the use of suspenders and tactical vest due to the perception of a military appearance. The occupational health nurse (OHN) and occupational health nurse practitioner (OHNP) can be an integral part of risk prevention. OHNs can be advocates for policies and procedures that would strive to use ergonomic equipment such as suspenders, vest and swivel cant holsters. The OHN providing evidence-based data on the use these cost-effective methods far outweighs the aesthetic concerns that arise. The need for lumbar support can be promoted by the OHN. The implementation of weight management and exercise as a health promotion activity can be an asset to preventing workman’s compensation injuries. Duty belt fit testing would be an area that the OHN can reduce injury. Duty belts that fit male officers may not fit a female officer correctly due to the wider shape of the female pelvis. Duty belt fit testing would ensure that unnecessary pressure is not exerted on the hips. Injury prevention training emphasizing proper placement of equipment on duty belts and pressure reducing maneuvers are also risk reduction efforts. When an injury occurs, case management and modified duty programs managed by the OHN can decrease cost to the employer and reduce the number of days lost from work due to injury. Law enforcement officers are a fundamental part of society and OHN can be influential in ensuring their safety both on and off the job.

References
Ammendolia, C., Kerr, M., & Bombardier, C. (2005). Back belt use for prevention of occupational low back pain: a systematic review. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, 28(2), 128-134. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Foley, B., & Buschbacher, R. (2006). Sacroiliac joint pain: anatomy, biomechanics, diagnosis, and treatment. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 85(12), 997-1006. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Center for Disease Control. (2010).Occupation injuries and death among young workers-United States, 1998-2007. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report ,59 (15), 449-455. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5915a2.htm
Czarnecki, F. & Janowitz, I. (2003). Ergonomics and safety in law enforcement. Clinics in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 3(3), 399-417. Retrieved from http://www.theppsc.org/Staff_Views/Czarnecki/ergonomics_and_safety_in_law_enforcement.htm

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