Manual material handling work contributes to a large percentageof the more than half a million cases of musculoskeletal disordersreported annually in the United States, according to the National Institute for OccupationalSafety and Health.
|A manual material handling task means one thatrequires moving materials by hand by pushing, pulling, carrying,lifting, lowering or stacking.
|The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that32 percent of injuries involving missed workdays in 2014 were theresult of musculoskeletal disorders. Overexertion and cumulativetrauma were the biggest factors in these injuries. And theseinjuries can happen in a variety of workplaces from offices togrocery stores to warehouses. (Have you ever tried lifting a caseof copy paper or a case of one-liter soda bottles?)
|Musculoskeletal disorders generally involve strains and sprainsto the lower back, shoulders, and upper limbs — often as a resultof not lifting correctly — and they can be among the top 10 most costly workplace injuries. They canresult in extensive periods of pain, disability, medical treatmentand financial stress for the injured workers, and employers oftenfind themselves absorbing the costs, either directly or throughworkers' compensation insurance, while also dealing with some levelof reduced physical capacity of their workers.
|Related: Top5 most common workplace accidents and injuries
|Employers can reduce the incidence of many strains and sprainsby training all employees to lift safely. Here are 10 tips forlifting safely from Jacksonville, Florida-based Main Street AmericaGroup.
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(Photo: iStock)
|1. Avoid standing too far from the load.
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(Photo: iStock)
|2. Consider breaking up your loads into multipleintervals.
(Photo: iStock)
|3. Don't judge weight by the size of the load.
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4. Test every load before you lift it.
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(Photo: iStock)
|5. Identify in advance your intended path.
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(Photo: iStock)
|6. Avoid taking loads over slippery or uneven surfaces.
Related: 10 factors influencing the treatment of chronicpain
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(Photo: iStock)
|7. Keep your back straight and bend your knees to thefloor.
(Photo: iStock)
|8. Use proper support systems.
(Photo: iStock)
|9. Lift with a slow steady force.
10. Make use of handles.
Related: 4 steps to creating a safer workplace
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Rosalie Donlon
Rosalie Donlon is the editor in chief of ALM's insurance and tax publications, including NU Property & Casualty magazine and NU PropertyCasualty360.com. You can contact her at [email protected].
