Back Away from Unsafe Lifting Practices
WHAT’S AT STAKE
Did you know that within a three-month period 25 percent of adults suffer at least one day of back pain? According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most adults experience their first episodes of low back pain in their 30s and as people age back pain becomes more common.
Read MoreWomen at Greater Risk for Ergonomic Injury
Female workers are more than twice as likely as their male counterparts to suffer ergonomics-related injuries on the job, particularly when not enough attention has been paid to the design of work, equipment, workstations and environment.
Ronald Porter, a physical therapist and ergonomics expert and director of the Back School of Atlanta, says some female-dominated professions, such as healthcare, require moving heavy loads and adopting awkward working positions.
Women are also more likely than men to be performing work that involves repetitive tasks, working at workstations and using tools that were designed for men.
Porter, who addressed the recent American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Professional Development Conference in Baltimore, noted that women represent 46 percent of the US workforce, but report 63 percent of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that result in lost work time.
Factors that put women at greater risk for MSDs include:
- An aging workforce,
- A decreased level of physical fitness,
- Increasing work load,
- Obesity, and
- Psychological stresses at work and home.
“Being overweight can contribute to back pain by increasing the wear and damage to joints, causing irritation, pain and reduced activity,” says Porter. “This lack of activity can cause further weight gain.”
Porter noted that other factors that put women at higher risk for MSDS include:
- The fact that job sites and equipment are often not designed for women.
- Women are more sensitive to extreme temperatures than men.
- Motor activities may be more difficult for women.
- Women tend to have less job and task rotation.
- They tend to have fewer work breaks if not in management positions.
- Loud noise.
- Lighting issues.
He says avoiding or limiting strenuous work, work requiring balance, lifting of more than 50 pounds, prolonged sitting or standing, temperature extremes and providing adjustable workstations can help women avoid work-related MSDs.
“Many work areas were designed by men for men. Forty-six percent of our workforce is female. The best place to apply ergonomics principles is during design, not after the issue becomes a problem,” says Porter. “It is must cheaper to build it correctly in the first place than to retrofit.”
PPE for women that will protect them from contract stress can also greatly reduce the chances of an ergonomic-related injury. Such PPE includes floor mats for workers who must stand a lot, shoe inserts and anti-vibration gloves.
Education in neutral postures, correct body mechanics and provision of “ergo breaks” can significantly reduce MSD risk factors for women.
“Instructing supervisors and perhaps even employees to recognize early warning signs of MSDs and how to apply correct first aid can be invaluable in the management process,” says Porter. “Developing appropriately modified or restricted duty jobs or tasks can speed recovery and decrease the likelihood of re-injury upon return to work.”
Read MoreChamber Worried About Possible Ergo Standard
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) proposed ergonomic rule died years ago with the election of President George W. Bush, but the US Chamber of Commerce is concerned that the Obama administration may resurrect it.
A report in ProPublica, a non-profit investigative journalism group, states that the US Chamber of Commerce is concerned that OSHA is considering requiring US employers to identify workplace injuries involving musculoskeletal disorders.
Such disorders are caused by repetitive stress or strain, such as heavy lifting or forceful or awkward motions. OSHA is considering adding a column to its injury reporting form in which musculoskeletal disorders would need to be disclosed.
The US Chamber believes that the proposed change is just a first step toward OSHA bringing in an ergonomic standard that would cost employers millions of dollars.
Read MoreSAFE Work Manitoba Offers Tips on Preventing MSIs
SAFE Work Manitoba has some advice for supervisors to help them reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) among their workers.
Consider these tips:
- Reduce the risk for MSIs by ensuring that workers are performing a variety of tasks every day and alternating hands if possible.
- Remind workers that they can improve their posture by taking time to adjust their bodies and equipment to minimize the risk for an MSI. Change postures and activities often.
- Remind your workers to reduce the amount of force they expend by using material handling devices wherever possible, along with keeping tools sharp and maintaining a lighter grip on equipment.
- Talk to your workers about off-the-job activities, such as hobbies or sports, that may aggravate MSIs. For example, they shouldn’t be overexerting themselves by playing sports that they haven’t attempted for years. Nor should they remain hunched over for hours while doing their hobbies. It’s important to stretch and take rest breaks.
Avoid Repetitive Strain Injuries
Editor’s Note: Share this safety talk with your workers.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
If your job involves repeated motion or vibration to the hands, carpal tunnel syndrome could creep up on you. It tends to occur in carpentry, cashiering and assembly line work, but it can also occur in many other kinds of work.
WHAT’S THE DANGER
Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the hands and wrists, and can result in permanent disability. It is one of the most common of the on-the-job injuries that build up gradually over a period of time. The carpal tunnel is the name of a little channel running through the middle of the wrist, carrying tendons and a major nerve. When the hand or wrist is subjected to repetitive work, impact or vibration, tissues swell. This squeezes the nerve and tendons and causes problems with the hands and fingers.
EXAMPLE
An electronics assembly worker began to notice a tingling feeling, numbness and clumsiness in his hands. After awhile, the tingling became a continual burning pain. Eventually, the pain became so bad and the hand so weak that it couldn’t grasp objects.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
Carpal tunnel syndrome is much easier to prevent than cure. Here are some tips:
Find comfortable positions
Work with your wrist straight, not turned at an angle. Adjust your workstation and tools so you can work with your wrists and hands in a comfortable and neutral position. Whenever possible, grip tools and materials with your whole hand. Tools which extend only part of the way across the palm can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Use the right tools
Take advantage of tools designed to allow you to keep your wrists in the correct position. Use other devices which help keep wrists in the correct position, such as wrist rests (for keyboards) and wrist braces.
Reduce impacts
Remember never to pound with your hands. Also try to avoid continuous vibration to your hands. Special padding on tools and equipment helps reduce vibration.
Think ahead
Switch tasks to give your hands a break. Don’t repeat the same motion hour after hour. Do flexibility and strength exercises for your hands, wrists and arms.
Seek help if needed
Seek medical help if you think you might be developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Treatment can include rest, therapy, splints, medicine and surgery.
FINAL WORD
Don’t wait for this problem to go away on its own. If it becomes worse, it will be more difficult to treat.
