REDUCING BACK INJURY…ONLY YOU CAN DO IT!! PRESENTED BY: LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

OBJECTIVES Realize that lifting incorrectly can cause back injury Recognize how your back works to accomplish lifting Name 10 things you can do you can do to avoid back injury when doing routine ( one-person) lifting Name 3 special lifting situations Identify additional ways to avoid back injury in special lifting situations Describe the proper way to load and use dollies and hand trucks

HELPFUL INFORMATION NIOSH’s, “Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling” ( in your JSAs)

Fact 1: Back strain/injury can cause serious pain and/or disability Anyone is at risk for back injury, not only ones who lift heavy objects. It is the 2 nd most common excuse for missing work. Once back strain occurs, it often returns. Back injury often requires bed rest and occasionally, surgery. Many back injuries result from lifting too heavy a load or lifting improperly.

Fact 2: Your physical health has a lot to do with protection against back injury. Regular exercise can strengthen your back and stomach muscles. The way your body adjusts to keep it’s balance can be upset if you sit or stand in an un-natural position. Excessive weight can exaggerate the curve of your back and strain it. Stress, anxiety, and depression can cause muscles to tighten and throw your back into spasms. The harder your work, physically, the less likely you are to have back injury.

Fact 3: Plan before you lift, carry, reach for, or push an object. Stretch and bend before doing any of these. Stretch and bend before doing any of these. Test the weight and stability of an object to be moved; divide the load into parts if too heavy. Test the weight and stability of an object to be moved; divide the load into parts if too heavy. Decide if you need another person, dolly, or hand truck to help with these task. Decide if you need another person, dolly, or hand truck to help with these task. For 2-person lifts, work with someone your own height to facilitate keeping the load at the same level. For 2-person lifts, work with someone your own height to facilitate keeping the load at the same level.

Fact 3- Cont’d- Plan before you lift, carry, reach for, or push an object Decide, in advance, which person will direct the move and continue to tell one another what moves you are about to make. Decide, in advance, which person will direct the move and continue to tell one another what moves you are about to make. Choose the straightest, flattest and clearest route to your destination. Choose the straightest, flattest and clearest route to your destination. Dress properly (non-skid shoes, gloves). Dress properly (non-skid shoes, gloves). Unload at the same time. Unload at the same time.

Fact 4: Let you legs do the work, not back when lifting an object. Leg muscles are several times stronger that those elsewhere in your body. You can strain back muscles or pinch nerves if you arch your back when lifting. Stand as close to the load as possible and grip load with both hands, not just fingers. You must bring the load close to body, with it’s weight centered over both feet. Stand slowly with back straight and let legs push you up… NEVER LOCK YOUR KNEES!!!! Avoid twisting your back.

Fact 5: You can injure back while carrying an object as easily as when lifting it. Carry the load, waist-high. Make sure you can see where you are going. Never walk backwards … it will throw you off- balance. Walk slow, taking small steps. Balance the load. Stop for a rest as often as needed. Never pull a load …. Always, push it. Move your feet to turn … never twist your body.

Fact 6: You can injure your back when you are un-loading or putting a load down. Lower a load, slowly and bend your knees while doing this. Place your hands or feet so they don’t get caught under a load when you put it down. When placing a load on a shelf or the floor, first put the load on the edge of a surface to take the weight off your body and then slide it to it’s final location.

Fact 7: Lifting objects to high places requires additional precautions Use a sturdy platform to reduce height of the lift … a ladder is not recommended. Don’t stretch to reach the height. Reduce the size of the object to as small a parcel as possible. If you are placing an object above waist- level, lift load half-way, support it on a surface or hip and then change your grip to lift the item higher. Then bend knees, lift object, then straighten up.

Fact 7: Lifting objects from high places requires additional precautions Stand on platform to reduce amount of drop… a ladder is not recommended. Don’t stretch. Make sure you have good footing and grip. Slide load down, letting your arms and legs do the work. Break lift into short segments by supporting it on shelves or against walls as you lower it.

Fact 8: Hand-trucks or dollies can reduce the chance of injury Select the right aid.. hand trucks support the bottom and one side of a load … dollies only support the bottom. Hand trucks have to be tilted to move.. Dollies do not. Always load the heavy objects on the bottom … light ones on top. Make sure load is stable … secure with ties or rope if necessary. Bend knees and keep back straight when moving these.

Fact 8- Cont’d: Hand-trucks or dollies can reduce the chance of injury Push, don’t pull truck or dolly. The only walk that backwards is if it necessary to maneuver through tight spots. Don’t brace or stop a truck or dolly with your foot. Always keep you and your truck or dolly away from the edge of platforms or loading docks.

CONCLUSIONS #1 - Proper lifting can prevent back injury. #2 - Planning and caution can save your back in special lifting and moving operations. #3 - Hand trucks and dollies help move materials easily and safely.

Following these rules can save you a trip to: OR

Thanks to the following for providing the information for this program: National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Occupational Health and Safety Administration National Safety Council “The 7-Minute Safety Trainer”

Post Test.. Question 1 It is always better to lift something by yourself than to use material-handling aids. TrueorFalse

Answer to Question 1 The correct answer is FALSE.

Post Test Question #2 You are more likely to have back pain and injury if you’re: a. overweight and in poor physical condition b. too thin c. cautious about how much you can lift d. if you like chocolate pie

Answer to Question 2 The correct answer is a.

Post Test Question #3 When you lift, you want your legs, not your back, to do the work. Trueor False

Answer to Question #3 The correct answer is true.

Post Test Question #4 When you unload, you: a. drop the load in place b. must always get another person to help c. slide the load in place d. lift them to waist high

Answer to Question #4 The correct answer is c.

Post Test Question #5 One hazard to look out for when using a hand truck is: a. loss of electrical power b. dangerous chemical reactions c. bending over d. running off the edge of a platform or dock

Answer to Question #5 The correct answer is d.

Post Test Question #6 Safety is: a. everyone’s responsibility b. only the supervisor’s responsibility c. only Environmental Health and Safety’s responsibility d. only the governor’s responsibility

Answer to Question #6 The correct answer is a.

THANKS FOR COMING!!!!!!