Moving and Handling & Back Care Phil Ward/Sarah Watson Safety Office Ext. 66761 Chris Chater...
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Transcript of Moving and Handling & Back Care Phil Ward/Sarah Watson Safety Office Ext. 66761 Chris Chater...
Moving and Handling & Back Care
Phil Ward/Sarah Watson
Safety Office
Ext. 66761
Chris Chater
Occupational Health
Ext. 14329
Lifting and Handling
Your back is the most injury-prone part of your body
4 out of 5 people are affected Millions of working days lost every year
Identifying Manual Handling Risk
Types of Injury: Over-exertion: the load is beyond the individual’s
capability in the circumstances
Cumulative Damage: from repetitive lifting, static work procedures, etc.
Accidental Injury: e.g. loads trapping fingers, falling on foot
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992Based on legislation from Europe
Employer’s duties ASSESS
– Is there a risk of injury?– Can manual handling be minimised?
TRAINING– Provide information and training to all
employees
What is manual handling?
Transporting
Supporting
or
a Load
Assessment
LOAD
INDIVIDUAL
TASK
ENVIRONMENT
The TASK
Holding load at a distance from the trunk Twisting the trunk Excessive vertical or horizontal movement Unstable posture Over-frequent or over-prolonged physical
effort Insufficient rest or recovery periods
The Individual
Strength, fitness, height Medical conditions Pregnancy Time, overloaded, stress
The LOAD
Heavy Bulky Unwieldy Difficult to grasp Unstable or contents likely to spill Sharp, hot, cold, dirty, contaminated
The Working Environment
Space constraints Congested storage Uneven, slippery or unstable ground Different floor levels / work surfaces Extremes of temperature Lighting
At Home & at Work
Your back allows you to– Walk– Sit– Stand– Lift– Bend– Work– Play– Sleep
Preventing back injuries is a lot easier than correcting them.
THINK before you lift!
THE BACK
What Happens at Work?Back problems often start at work Office Worker – spends up to 4 hours a week
hunch over their desk Taxi Driver – bent into the driving seat for more
then 25000 miles a year Checkout Assistant – Sat on a poorly designed
chair at the till all day Farmer – constantly lifting sacks, seeds and
machinery
And You?
BACKS
Our backs may be put under prolonged strain by our jobs and its hardly surprising that something within the delicate balance of bones and muscles so often fails
57% experience lower back pain each year
What Injuries Do We Suffer
Traumatised, bruised or inflamed muscles [which may go into spasm]
Damaged Ligaments Misalignment of tiny vertebral joints Damage to the discs between the vertebrae
Causes of Back Pain
Poor posture – this can be sitting standing or prolonged static posture
Ergonomics – fitting the task to the person Body Mechanics – how do we perform the
task Loss of muscle tone and suppleness Stress and Tension
Abnormal Strains on the Back at Work are more likely if: Generally unfit: [this
makes all injuries more likely]
Overweight: [this puts extra stress on the back]
Job involves lifting, bending or moving heavy objects: [lifting badly is a common cause of back problems at work]
Job involves being seated in one place for long periods of time [an unchanging posture can put prolonged abnormal tension on the back]
Abnormal Strains on the Back at Work are more likely if: The work involves
frequent use of a telephone without headset –31% of office workers who use a telephone for at least two hours a day and also use a computer have lower back pain
There’s a high level of stress, anxiety and tension in the job, or at home. This can generally increase muscle tension throughout the body and increase the chances of sudden sprain
Reducing the risk?
Common Lifting Problems and Solutions Problems Lifting with back bent
and legs straight Holding load too far
from body Twisting while lifting
Solutions Keep back straight and
bend the knees Hold load as close to
the body as possible Redesign the lift to
avoid twisting – turn the body using the feet
Common Lifting Problems and Solutions Problem Loosing balance during a
lift because: The feet are too close
together The load uneven or
unstable The load too heavy
SolutionKeep a wide balancestance with feetgenerally shoulder widthapart or widerTest the load before lift –If the load is uneven thenredistribute the loadUse the tripod liftIf the load is too heavy find another person to help or a mechanical lifting aid
Basic Lift [Diagonal Lift]This lift is the most common method of good lifting technique. Use the basic lift for objects small enough to straddle where you have enough room to use a wide stance.
Power LiftUse the power lift for objects too large for straddling. This lift is very similar to the basic lift. In the power lift the object shifts your centre of gravity forward and you must push your buttocks out to compensate.
Tripod liftUse the tripod lift for objects with uneven weight distribution [example: sacks of food]. Recommended for people with decreased arm strength. NOT recommended for people with bad knees
Partial Squat LiftUse this lift for small light objects with handles close to knee height
The Golfers’ Liftuse the golfers lift for small light objects in deep bins and to pick small objects off the floor – recommended for people with knee problems or decreased leg strength
Straight Leg LiftUse this lift when obstacles prevent you from bending your knees. Be careful! put you at increased risk for muscle strain. Use only if absolutely necessary example lifting out of a shopping trolley or car trunk
Overhead LiftThis lift is used to place objects on an overhead shelf. Begins with the object in your hands. Only use this lift when absolutely necessary
Pivot Technique
Contra-Indicating Factors
Age Pre-existing injury Degenerative disease Pregnancy Shoes and Clothing
Healthy Options
Nutrition – think about what you eat and when
Smoking – cut down, better still stop Alcohol – can be good for you in
moderation Exercise – keep it simple but regular,
suppleness is the key Relaxation – learn to keep cool
Stand Up To Back Pain
Myth:
Is it best to avoid any physical activity until my back gets better?
Fact:
Rest for more than a day or two does more harm than good. When you rest your back gets stiffer; your muscles weaken; you get depressed and it’s hard to get going again.
Stand Up To Back Pain
If you get an attack of back pain and you are concerned see your Doctor
But for the vast majority back pain is not serious. Pain does not mean harm, you can keep moving.
If you do keep moving the pain will begin to recede. It may take time and will require lots of effort from you, but you can recover if you want to!
Good Handling Technique
1. Stop and think2. Position the feet3. Adopt good posture4. Get a firm grip5. Keep close to the load6. Don’t jerk7. Move the feet8. Put down, then adjust