Prevention of manual handling injuries

Start here : Download our educational Workplace Athlete handout on team lifting guidelines. As mentioned earlier, musculoskeletal health should be a regular topic in classroom training sessions and then followed up regularly by an injury prevention specialist with one-on-one consultations.

This is an ongoing process to create a health and safety culture and promote overall health and wellness of workplace athletes. Start here : Register for a free Basic Resource Center account to Download a selection of educational Workplace Athlete handouts centered around musculoskeletal self-care. Early intervention is a proactive strategy to find early signs of an injury and prevent it from happening.

When employees recognize they are experiencing fatigue and discomfort early warning signs of MSD , they are encouraged to report it. Once the issue is reported, self-help tools should be readily available to the employee through an experienced injury prevention specialist. Early intervention is about prevention , not treatment. It addresses fatigue and discomfort before it becomes a painful musculoskeletal disorder MSD and a costly claim for the company.

Preventive consultations should be available to each and every employee, and the self-help techniques recommended should not be therapeutic in nature and should serve as a means to help employees counteract daily fatigue that could potentially turn into an injury that requires medical evaluation and treatment.

Prevention is better than treatment! Implementing all of these tactics together in one common process is the most effective and efficient way to reduce risk and prevent common and costly MSDs. For more on common ergonomics solution for manual material handling, check out these resources below:.

Each time a lift is made there is chance for injury. A best practice is to establish a weight limit of what one person or a team of people are allowed to lift and carry on a work site. Consider a cut-off weight before mechanical means need to be used to lift the object.

For example some companies have the policy that no single person can lift an object heavier than 50lbs and a team of people cannot lift anything over lbs. While you may be able to handle these weights, it is good to have an established point where manual handling is no longer an option.

View this email in your browser. Strains Sprains Repetitive motion injuries Pinch point injuries Struck-by injuries Slips , trips , falls.

Best Practices for Manual Handling. Summary Injuries due to manual handling can be hard to prevent, that is why eliminating as many of these lifts as possible is important. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. What is manual handling? Manual handling — identifying workplace hazards Manual handling — assessing the risks Reducing or eliminating manual handling risks Manual handling — protecting your back Professional advice about manual handling Where to get help.

Manual handling — identifying workplace hazards Some factors in the workplace may increase the risk of an injury occurring. These hazards can be identified in different ways: Walk through the workplace and look for potential hazards. Talk over risk factors with workers. Check through injury records to help pinpoint recurring problems.

Regularly monitor and update risk identification. Manual handling — assessing the risks The next step is to assess which factors are contributing to the risk of injury. Typical risk factors that can increase the risk of injury include: type of work — working in a fixed posture for a prolonged period of time layout of the workspace — a cramped or poorly designed workspace can force people to assume awkward postures, such as bending or twisting weight of an object — a heavy load may be difficult to lift and carry location of an object — heavy objects that have to be lifted awkwardly, for example above shoulder height or from below knee level duration and frequency — increasing the number of times an object is handled or the length of time for which it is handled condition of an object — more effort may be required to manipulate badly designed or poorly maintained equipment awkward loads — loads that are difficult to grasp, slippery or an awkward shape handling a live person or animal — lifting or restraining a person or animal can cause sprains and other injuries.

Reducing or eliminating manual handling risks After identifying workplace hazards you can do several things to control the risk of manual handling injuries. If so, does it have to be done this way? Manual handling — protecting your back The back is particularly vulnerable to manual handling injuries.

Safety suggestions include controlling risk factors in the workplace, in addition to personal controls: Lift and carry heavy loads correctly by keeping the load close to the body and lifting with the thigh muscles. Never attempt to lift or carry loads if you think they are too heavy. Pushing a load using your body weight to assist will be less stressful on your body than pulling a load.

Use mechanical aids or get help to lift or carry a heavy load whenever possible. Organise the work area to reduce the amount of bending, twisting and stretching required. Take frequent breaks.

Cool down after heavy work with gentle, sustained stretches. Improve your fitness — exercise regularly to strengthen muscles and ligaments, and reduce excess body fat.