Lifting and Handling: Work With Your Body Instead of Against It
Eighty percent of us will experience lower back pain at some point in our lives. In fact, lower back pain is one of the leading contributors to missed work and the most common cause of job-related disabilities.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says acute back injuries suffered at work often result from improper lifting techniques and/or lifting and carrying something that’s too heavy. By knowing what to lift and how to safely lift it, you and your employees can reduce the risk of injury.
What your employees need to know
The most effective technique is to avoid lifting whenever possible. In many cases, equipment is available that can either fully automate or assist with lifting and handling demands. Examples include hand trucks, dollies, pallet jacks, and forklifts. Using this equipment helps take stress off the back and lessen the risk of injury.
However, there may be times when no other option exists, and your employees must lift objects manually. Ensuring your employees use the proper lifting technique helps reduce the amount of stress on their back.
How to lift safely
Safe lifting can be summed up in just a few simple words: Keep it close and keep the curves.
Keep it close. The best way to handle any object is to keep the object in front, at waist level and as close to the body as possible. There is a point just below the belly button that is the body’s center of gravity. When it comes to lifting and materials handling, our bodies work best when we keep the load at this central position.
If we move the load away from this center of gravity, we increase the physical effort needed to support and stabilize the body. Additional effort is then necessary to lift or move objects. This added stress makes the back work harder and increases the chance of injury.
Keep the curves. The spine is the primary structural column of the human body. The picture to the left shows the spine in its natural alignment. You will notice three curves—one in the neck, one in the upper back, and one in the lower back.
The trick is to keep this alignment when lifting an object. By bending at the hips and knees, keeping the feet flat on the ground, and looking straight ahead (instead of down at the item being lifted), the spine remains properly aligned. Workers are then able to use the power in their leg muscles to lift, taking pressure off the back. In contrast, bending over at the waist takes the spine out of the natural alignment and increases the amount of strain on the back.
At your safety meeting
Discuss with your employees the types of material that the job requires them to lift, and the risk of injury that comes with improper lifting.
Demonstrate the proper lifting technique.
Lastly, provide hand trucks and other lifting aids and encourage your employees to use this equipment whenever possible. Be sure to show them where it’s stored and remind them to return items to the proper place so others know where to find this equipment.
Back injuries don’t always happen right away. Many times, the wear and tear that comes with improper lifting develops over time. So, while using the wrong technique might not cause any pain right away, it could be paving the way for future trouble.
Keeping the spine aligned naturally and lifted material close to the center of gravity reduces stress to the spine. It also helps reduce missed work time and the risk of chronic back pain.
Your back with thank you for it.
RESOURCES
Cal/OSHA – Improving Manual Material Handling
The above evaluations and/or recommendations are for general guidance only and should not be relied upon for legal compliance purposes. They are based solely on the information provided to us and relate only to those conditions specifically discussed. We do not make any warranty, expressed or implied, that your workplace is safe or healthful or that it complies with all laws, regulations or standards.