Preventing back injuries at the work site |
Tuesday, July 26, 2016 07:00 AM |
Heavy lifting without proper safety procedures can result in back injury; it’s the primary form of workplace injuries. One in five workplace injuries or illnesses involve a back injury. Since landscape laborers handle materials throughout the day (lifting, pulling, pushing and carrying), they are at risk for injuries if safety accommodations are not made and are not part of the company culture. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a technical manual to help employers and employees determine safe weight limits for lifting. There are calculations available to determine the maximum weight that an employee can safely handle. But the best method of avoiding injury includes communication. Make sure that your employees are aware of the risks involved in handling heavy materials and that there are precautions they can take to reduce those risks. Train employees to support each other and coach each other to follow safety guidelines that help them avoid injury. Taking a few extra minutes to follow safety rules can prevent days of lost work and wages due to an injury. Those rules include:
OSHA’s web site has a variety of resources for identifying injury risks, maintaining a safe work environment, and training employees on the importance of safety. Read more in this issue of Colorado Green NOW: |