SAFE LIFTING
Avoiding a Painful Back
Back Injuries
⚫ Back injuries account for nearly 20% of all
injuries and illnesses in the workplace.
⚫ Back injuries cost the nation an estimated 20 to
50 billion dollars per year.
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Slips, Trips and Falls
⚫ On stairways alone, falls result in over two
million disabling injuries yearly.
⚫ There are thousands more minor injuries
caused by slips, trips, and falls each year.
⚫ Most alarming of all is, the fact that industrial
falls cause over 1000 deaths each year.
⚫ Slips, trips and falls account for 15 to 20
percent of all workers' compensation costs.
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Leading Back Injury Factors
⚫ Poor posture
⚫ Poor physical condition
⚫ Incorrect lifting
⚫ Jobs that require high energy
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THE SPINE’S BASIC FUNCTIONS
⚫ Providing support
⚫ Protecting the spinal
cord
⚫ Providing flexibility to
allow bending and
rotating
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STANDING POSTURE
⚫ Keep your spinal
column aligned in its
natural curves
⚫ Prop one foot up on a
stool to reduce stress
in your lower back
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STRETCH OFTEN - SHIFT POSITIONS
⚫ Shift your posture often
⚫ Stretch frequently
throughout the day
⚫ Keep your body flexible
(not rigid or fixed)
⚫ Don’t force your body to
conform to its workspace
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LIFT WITH COMMON SENSE!
⚫ Assess the situation
⚫ Is the load big, bulky, heavy?
⚫ Do you need help?
⚫ Remember- no single technique will work
in all circumstances
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THE SAFE LIFTING ZONE
⚫ The safe lifting zone
is between the knees
and shoulders
⚫ Below knee level?
– Bend with your knees
and lift with your legs
⚫ Above your
shoulders?
– Use a stool or ladder
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PUSH-- DON’T PULL
Can you slide it
instead of lifting
it?
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Do you need equipment to help move it?
⚫ Use proper equipment
– Hand trucks
– Forklifts
– Dollies
– Use gloves if needed
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Must you twist or stretch to get it?
⚫ Readjust the load or
your position before you
lift.
⚫ Get help!
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PREPARING TO LIFT OR MOVE
⚫ Have you stretched your
muscles or warmed up
before lifting?
⚫ Are you wearing slip
resistant shoes?
⚫ Have you cleared a
pathway before you
move the item?
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WHEN YOU LIFT
Do
⚫ Plant your feet firmly - get a
stable base
⚫ Bend at your knees - not
your waist
⚫ Tighten your abdominal
muscles to support your
spine
⚫ Get a good grip - use both
hands
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WHEN YOU LIFT
Do
⚫ Keep the load close to
your body
⚫ Use your leg muscles as
you lift
⚫ Keep your back upright,
keep it in its natural
posture
⚫ Lift steadily and smoothly
without jerking
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WHEN YOU LIFT
Do Not
⚫ Lift from the floor
⚫ Twist and lift
⚫ Lift with one hand
(unbalanced)
⚫ Lift loads across
obstacles
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WHEN YOU LIFT
Do Not
⚫ Lift while reaching or
stretching
⚫ Lift from an uncomfortable
posture
⚫ Fight to recover a dropped
object (let it go!)
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One-handed Lift
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Twisting
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General Safety Rules
⚫ Make your safety your first consideration in every
situation.
⚫ Keep your work area clean and free from loose
objects, stumbling or slipping hazards (including
electrical wires from equipment).
⚫ Be aware of walking surfaces. Extra care is needed on
wet or icy surfaces.
⚫ Never leave an unsafe condition unmarked or
unguarded.
⚫ Always post “wet floor” signs when needed.
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General Safety Rules (continued)
⚫ Wear adequate shoes that are not open and that give
good support and slip resistance.
⚫ Never use broken or damaged ladders or other
equipment.
⚫ Ladders in front of doors should be marked or posted
with warning barricades.
⚫ Use care when working on stairways.
⚫ Be cautious when working to keep from tripping over
equipment such as buckets, vacuum cleaners, and
other tools.
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REMEMBER!
⚫ Your work day is one third of your total day
⚫ Plan your tasks carefully to avoid a painful
back
⚫ Managing your back is your responsibility
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