Transcript Document

Back Safety
and
Safe Lifting
Carl Powell
Director of Environmental
Health & Safety
Course Content
Introduction
Anatomy
Mechanics
Lifting & carrying
Risk assessment
Preventing back injuries
INTRODUCTION
This training session provides
information on preventing back
injuries and techniques for safe
lifting
By age 50 approximately 85% of Americans have
had one or more back injury
More than 1 million injuries occur
each year
25% of workers compensation
claims involve back
injuries – costing billions
of dollars annually
Introduction
Back injuries are the largest cause
of accidents at work:
Back injuries are exceedingly painful and difficult
to heal
After suffering one back injury,
you are much more likely to
experience another injury
It is important to learn how to
avoid injuring or re-injuring
your back
Introduction
Back injuries are caused
by:
Improper lifting – often cumulative
damage over a period a time
Overuse of certain muscles and
joints
Poor general health, lack of
physical fitness, loss of suppleness
Stress and fatigue
ANATOMY
Back - Complex System:
Spine
Muscles
Ligaments and tendons
Nerves
Spine
Three main functions:
To protect the spinal cord
To allow movement
To support the upper body
Anatomy
Spine
Strong and flexible
Discs
Gentle ‘S’ bend
The lower part of the back
holds most of the body’s
weight
Every time you bend over,
you put stress on your spine
– even leaning forward at
your desk
Over time the discs become
damaged
Anatomy
Disc
Spinal Cord
Vertebrae
33 bones – the top 24 are
separated by discs
The bottom 9 fuse together by
adulthood
Each vertebrae has 4 joints
which enables movement
Vertebrae are larger towards
the bottom of the spine
Vertebrae
Anatomy
Discs
Nucleus
Act as shock absorbers
Firmly attached to
vertebrae
Poor blood supply
- slows healing
Annulus stretches and
relaxes during movement
Disc
Annulus
Anatomy
Discs
Repeated stresses can
cause minute tears and
bulging of the disk
Presses on adjacent
nerves and ligaments –
pins & needles, pain,
numbness
Commonly called a
slipped disc or herniated
disc
Anatomy
Muscles
Muscles are bundles of fibers which enable
movement
Messages from the brain
cause them to contract
and relax
A damaged muscle is
called a strain
Muscles affecting the spine
Anatomy
Ligaments and tendons
Ligaments connect two
or more bones together
Tendons attach muscle
to bone
Strong fibrous tissues
Small degree of elasticity
Stooped back posture can result in permanent
elongation – weakness and pain
If stretched too far and torn – called a sprain
Anatomy
Nerves
Millions of fibers transmitting electrical
impulses back and forth from the brain
Nerves branch out from the spinal cord
and pass between vertebrae
A herniated disc can irritate the nerve
root and cause leg pain
– this is called
sciatica and is often
more painful than
lower back pain
MECHANICS
Think of you back as a lever
The balance point is through the center of the
body when standing
Center of Gravity
Equal force
Mechanics
A load held in front disturbs the balance - tension is
generated in the back muscles to compensate
Center of Gravity
(fulcrum)
The human back operates on a 10:1 ratio; with the
waist acting as the fulcrum
Mechanics
Holding the load closer to your body will
reduce the pressure on your back
100 lbs.
10 lbs.
Mechanics
Using the proper lifting technique (bend
at the knees and keep the back straight)
to reduce the pressure on your back
100 lbs.
10 lbs.
X

Mechanics
High or repetitive levels
of tension in the back
can cause damage
To reduce the tension:
hold the load closer to the body
and bend your knees
LIFTING & CARRYING
Steps:
Before lifting occurs
Plan the route
Assess the load
Correct positioning of feet
Straight back
Correct grip
Lift smoothly
Carrying the load
Before lifting
Warm up exercises
Prior to lifting, you should warm up your
muscles just like a professional athlete
Lifting
Plan the Route
Where is the load going ?
Are there obstructions in the way ?
Is there somewhere to set it down ?
Lifting
Correct Positioning of Feet
Comfortably apart
One foot positioned in direction of
movement
Other foot where it can give maximum
thrust to the body
To maintain good balance
feet should never be too
close together on the ground
Lifting
Straight Back
Lower the body by relaxing
the knees
Keep your back straight
(but not vertical)
Keep load close to body
Keep chin in and head
back
Lifting
If lifting from ground make
maximum use of legs
Keep back straight, but inclined
forward
Tighten the stomach muscles as
the lift begins
As lift proceeds and the legs are
straightened, the back returns to
vertical position
Positioning of feet and bending
of knees are the key factors in
maintaining a straight back
Lifting
Correct Grip
Take a firm grip by using
the palms of the hands and
roots of fingers
Taking weight on finger tips
will create pressure at the
end of fingers and could
strain muscles and tendons
in the arms
A full palm grip will reduce muscle
stress to the arms and decrease the
possibility of the load slipping
Lifting
Lifting Smoothly
Thrust from back foot and straightening of knees
will move body forwards and upwards – briefly off
balance
Immediately countered by bringing the back foot
forward as if walking
Lift now completed - forward movement results in
smooth transition from lifting to carrying
Lifting
Carrying the Load
Make sure you can see where you
are going
Avoid twisting the body – move
your feet instead
If you need to change your grip –
set the load down – not whilst
walking
Setting the Load Down
Use the correct stance for lifting
and set the load down gently
Lifting
One Person Lift
Determine the weight
Look for sharp edges
See if the weight is evenly
distributed
Keep heaviest side to body
Decide how to hold the load
If it is too heavy use a trolley or get assistance
Lifting
Two Person Lift
Decide who will be caller
Assess the weight
Correct positioning of feet
Straight back
Correct grip
Lift together
Lifting - Summary
 Plan the route, the lift and the set down point
 Position your feet - bent knees, straight back
 Firm grip, lift smoothly
 Move the feet – do not twist body
 Keep the load close to the body
 Put down smoothly – then adjust for final
position
RISK ASSESSMENT
A risk assessment is an examination
of the factors that may cause harm
Task
Individual’s capabilities
Load
Environment
Other factors
Risk Assessment
The Task - Avoid:
Holding loads away
from body
Strenuous pushing
and pulling
Twisting
Unpredictable
movement of load
Stooping
Reaching upwards
Large vertical
movements
Long travel distances
Repetitive handling
Insufficient rest or
recovery time
Work rate imposed by
the process
Risk Assessment
Individual’s capability
Certain conditions may limit an individuals
capability
- Illness
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
Some tasks require unusual capabilities,
special information or training
Risk Assessment
The Load
Heavy – can the load be broken
down into smaller loads
Bulky or unwieldy – are two
people required
Difficult to grasp/hold – would a
trolley assist the move
Harmful i.e. sharp/hot – is
personal protective equipment
required
Risk Assessment
The Working Environment
Constraints on posture - e.g. lack of space
Poor floors
Variations in levels
Hot / cold / rain / humid conditions
Strong air movement
Poor lighting conditions
Risk Assessment
Other Factors
Is movement hindered by clothing or
personal protective clothing
High stress
Rushing – pressure of work
Showing off
Short cuts
PREVENTING BACK INJURIES
Avoid lifting and bending
whenever you can.
Place objects up off the floor
That way you won’t have to
reach down to pick them up
again
Raise / lower shelves
Short frequent breaks are better than infrequent
long breaks – for example 10 seconds rest every 10 minutes
is more helpful than a 60 second rest every 60 minutes
Preventing back injuries
Don’t
overdo
it
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – know your
physical limitations and abilities
Preventing back injuries
Use assistive devices if possible
Hand truck
Pallet truck
Utility cart
Gas cylinder trolley
Scissor lift table
Preventing back injuries
Assistive devices allow both hands to control
the truck/cart
Tie down straps may be required
Pushing a device is better for your back than
pulling
Stay close to the load and keep your back
straight
Avoid leaning over
Preventing back injuries
Sleeping position - The neutral position
keeps the back in its natural “S” bend
Try placing a pillow between your knees when
sleeping on your side
Or place a pillow under your knees when
sleeping on your back - You may also want to
try using a towel roll to support your lower
back
FINALLY
This session provides practical
information on preventing back injuries
and how to safely lift objects
You will only protect yourself if you
practice the techniques described
These techniques affect work and
home activities
Now take the quiz