Transcript No Slide Title

Safe Lifting
&
Material
Handling
Back Injury
Prevention
Back Facts
What percentage of Americans suffer from
back pain?
Some reports indicate that more than half of all
Americans suffer from some type of back pain.
More back surgery is performed in the U. S.
than in any other industrialized country in
the world!
Back Facts
The design of the human back is
not for lifting.
The back is fragile and easily injured.
Common Sources of Back
Injury
Improper lifting
Poor posture
Repetitive motion (twisting, stooping,
etc.)
Traumatic injury (falling, whiplash, etc.)
Compression injury (falling objects)
Proper Lifting Technique
Study the load “before” you lift!
Get help if you need it.
Use mechanical devices or hand
trucks for heavy or awkward objects.
When lifting:
Stand close to the object
Keep your back straight
Get a good grip on the object
Lift with your legs!
Carrying a Load
Keep the load close to your body.
Never twist or rotate your body while
carrying a load.
Reposition by moving your feet instead of
twisting your waist or shoulders.
Make sure that you can see where you
are going.
If your vision is obstructed, use a
“spotter”.
Why keep the load close to
my body?
 Imagine your body as a lifting
crane.
 A crane’s maximum lift potential
occurs when the load is nearest to
the base of the machine.
 The farther the load moves away
from the base, the more unstable
the crane becomes.
 The safe lift potential is significantly
reduced as the distance from the
base increases!
Other Factors for
Having a Healthy Back
Exercise back and abdominal
muscles.
Stretch before work and
during work to reduce strain
and fatigue.
Practice good posture stooping and slumping create
stress on your spine!
Lifting Stretch Exercise Tips
Exercise regularly! A brisk walk is a
good way to warm up.
Inhale deeply before each repetition of
an exercise and exhale when
performing each repetition.
Examples of Exercises
Go through the motions of the lift without
lifting any weight.
Stand with feet apart. Place hands in small of
back. Keep knees straight. Bend backwards
at waist as far as possible and hold for one or
two seconds. Repeat as needed.
Examples of Exercises
For loosening up the hips, improving
leg drive and strengthening the
buttocks and hamstrings:
Assume a lunge position and step forward
into a lunge.
Keep your chest up
Look straight ahead
Coordinate your arms with your legs.
Material
Handling
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices
Use mechanical devices when a task cannot
be completed by hand. Using these devices
can simplify the task, but machines also
bring their own hazards to the operation.
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Hand Trucks
Other names for hand trucks:
Wheelbarrows
Dolly trucks
Two-wheeled hand trucks
Hand trucks should be equipped with
canvas, leather or rubber knuckle
guards – Why?
To help prevent hand injuries.
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Hand Trucks
When loading, the heavy objects should
be below the lighter ones, and the load
kept as low as possible – Why?
To prevent tipping over
The hand trucks should not be
overloaded, and the load should not
obstruct your view.
Hand Trucks
Use proper lifting techniques when
lifting a load.
The operator should push and balance
the truck always walking forward.
The truck should not be held in place
with your foot.
Two-wheeled hand trucks should be
equipped with brakes if used on
inclined walkways.
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Conveyors
Generally, conveyors used in industry
are:
Roller
Overhead trolley
Belt
Portable
Screw
Mobile
Bucket
Tow
Chain
Assembly
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Conveyors
Moving parts should be guarded with
wire mesh enclosures or railings.
Rollers or pulleys at the ends of belt
conveyors should be guarded to
prevent fingers and hands from being
drawn into pinch points.
Conveyors
A shield, guard or housing should
enclose each end and all other areas at
floor level where workers could come
into contact with moving parts.
Avoid riding on conveyors, except
those that incorporate platforms and
control rooms for operating personnel.
Conveyors
Conveyors should have conveniently
located warning devices and
emergency stop controls.
Turn off power and lock the switch
during maintenance.
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Powered Industrial Trucks
Powered industrial trucks:
Move material quickly and easily
Save work and time
Know how to safely operate the trucks.
OSHA requires specific training for PIT
operators (29 CFR 1910.178).
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Powered Industrial Trucks
Pay attention to maximum load limits and the
condition of the bed – never overload.
Before and after each shift, check:
Brakes
Steering
Controls
Forks
Hoist
Warning devices and lights
Report any malfunctions to a supervisor.
Powered Industrial Trucks
Back the truck down a ramp, but keep
the load in front when going uphill.
Tilt the forklift masts back when
driving the lift and keep head, arms
and legs inside.
Keep the forks about 4-6 inches above
the ground.
Powered Industrial Trucks
Do not lift or transport people.
Sound the horn at a blind corner.
Check clearances when loading or
unloading.
Mechanical Material Handling
Devices – Cranes & Derricks
 Only trained operators are permitted to
run cranes.
 The rated load must be plainly marked
on each side of the crane and the crane
must never be overloaded.
 Never work or stand underneath a
suspended load.
 If operating, do not swing loads
over workers.
Cranes & Derricks
Keep hoisting chains and ropes in good
condition and inspect them frequently.
Use a load block hook with a sling – do
not wrap chains or ropes around loads.
Operators should make sure the sling
clears all obstacles.
Cranes & Derricks
Standard hand signals for boom cranes
should be understood by both the
operator and the signaler.
Crane operators should never remove
their hands and feet from the controls
while a load is suspended.
Hand Protection
Watch out for pinch points!
Wear gloves that are approved by your
supervisor for the work being done.
Never work around moving machines
while the guards are removed. This
exposes your hands to pinch points.
Hand Protection
Before lifting or handling objects, look for:
Splinters
Sharp edges
Anything else that could injure your hands
Make sure you have the proper hand
clearance when setting down loads or
carrying loads through doors.
Always wash your hands after you are
exposed to chemicals.
Pinch Points
Pinch points are areas where your
hands can become trapped or mashed
between two objects.
Examples:
Operation point of a metal press
Area where a sprocket and chain
come together
Working around moving machines
while the guards are down exposes
your hands to pinch points.
Safe Lifting Summary Points
Back injuries result in significant losses to
both employees and employers each year.
Training and common sense will prevent
most back injuries.
The back is not designed for lifting, so don’t
use it that way!
Good health and exercise are a key factor in
back safety programs.
Material Handling Summary
Points
Know when to use mechanical methods
of material handling devices.
Hand Trucks
Conveyors
Cranes & Derricks
Wear the appropriate hand protection.
Watch out for pinch points.