07 Apr Workplace Injury: Avoid Problematic Back Injuries
The musculoskeletal system is relatively easy to stress/injure; and, unfortunately, it’s a common area of the body for a worker, especially someone who works in a manual labor-type position, to incur an injury. The most common area to become injured is the back, and according to certain statistics back/spinal injuries account for over thirty-percent of all injuries occurring in the workplace. And for many of those injuries the injured employee spent significant time away from working, resting and recuperating. Back injuries—workplace injuries in general—are difficult if not impossible to completely negate in a manual labor position, however there are ways to lessen the chances that someone suffers one. Here’s a few tips to keeping a healthy and happy workplace.
The most obvious answer to preventing a back injury is to keep in shape. If a person carries around extra weight, especially in his or her abdomen, then that extra weight can prove to be detrimental to the strength and longevity of the back. Encourage a healthy workplace. And allow for time spent in the education of health and fitness. Anyone who works a job where they are required to lift and transport objects—heavy or not—should understand the proper way to lift—when lifting, remember to bend the knees, keeping the body as close to the object to be carried as possible, and then lift the weight with the knees (Never, ever lift with the back). Devices such as back belts provide people with a false sense of security. But, unfortunately, a back belt will not help a person carry a load.
And the most important advice of all is to use machinery—a forklift, hand truck, etc.—when and where it is possible. Although a machine is not a replacement for a quality employee, the machine can effortlessly be used throughout the warehouse/workplace to safely transport big, cumbersome objects. If you have any questions about how a forklift could improve the functionality and efficiency of your warehouse, then call Anderson Forklift today.
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