Thursday, August 15, 2019

Safe Lifting—What You Need to Know

5 Facts

Handling materials is the most common cause of back pain at work.
Roughly 75% of Canadians who handle material on the job will experience a back injury.
Back injuries are the cause of one-third of all lost work and more than one third of compensation costs.
Individual ranges of what people can safely lift vary greatly.
Experience matters more than strength—workers aged 20-45 suffer more back injuries than workers over age 45.

5 Things to Remember

In general, loads over 20 kilograms (44 pounds) increase the risk and severity of back injuries.
Location of the load is also very important—the farther a load is carried or lifted away from your body the greater the strain on your back and arms.
Size matters—a bulky object will cause more stress than a smaller one of the same weight because of the potential to be in an awkward or unbalanced position.
Lifting above the waist or below the knee is more hazardous than lifting an object in between the two.
Account for frequency and duration of handling materials—the longer and more often you have to handle materials the more strain.

5 Environmental Factors That Increase Your Risk of Injury

Too high, low, or deep shelving
Inadequate lighting
Lifting in a crowded space
Working on benches or tables that force you into awkward positions
Temperature
Cold decreases the flexibility of your muscles and joints.
Hot, humid conditions will tire you more quickly and make you more susceptible to injury.

5 Tips to Prevent Injury

Be trained in safe-lifting techniques.
Know the limits of what you can safely lift—everyone is different.
Take appropriate rest periods when performing repetitive lifting to avoid fatigue.
Wear properly fitted PPE, and be aware of how it may restrict your movements when lifting.
Change position to avoid lifting in awkward, unbalanced positions, or ask someone to give you a hand.

Source: ccohs.ca

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