ERGONOMICS THE ART OF SAFE LIFTING

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ERGONOMICS THE ART OF SAFE LIFTING
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Overview

• What is Ergonomics?
• How Can Ergonomics Help Me?
• How Can I Put Ergonomics to Work?
• Reducing Injury Risk through Ergonomics
• Practice Safe Lifting
• Helpful Stretches
• Work Safely While Seated

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What is Ergonomics?

• The science and practice of finding ways to make
  tasks easier on the body
• Aims to make work more comfortable, more
  efficient and safer
• Fits work practices, tools and work environments
  to the physical and mental limitations and
  abilities of people
• Everyone plays a role in ergonomics

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How Can Ergonomics Help Me?

• Can help prevent injuries to anyone whose job
  involves
• Reaching
• Bending over
• Lifting heavy objects
• Using continuous force
• Performing repeated motions

• Can help make work easier and reduce fatigue
• Can help anyone from the industrial workers to
  office staff

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How Can I Put Ergonomics to Work?

• Help identify potential problems and adjust your
  work traits so you are using your body in the
  safest and most efficient way.
• Make a difference by being aware of the way you
  work, organizing your work station, stretching,
  changing the way you perform tasks, and following
  rules and tips for working smartly

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Reducing Injury through Ergonomics

• Change awkward postures arrange workstation to
  minimize reaching, leaning, bending, and twisting
• When standing, shift positions occasionally and
  place one foot on a low rest keep elbows close
  to the body
• Move materials safely
• Avoid reaching overhead
• Vary the weight of the loads you are moving
• Push rather than pull heavy loads
• Lean in and use your legs and body weights

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Reducing Injury through Ergonomics

• Break up repetition
• Repeated motions wear on tendons, nerves, and
  muscles.
• Vary tasks if you can, so that you are not making
  the same movement over and over for a long
  period.
• If you sit while working, stand up and shift
  positions occasionally.
• During rest breaks, stretch your wrists, arms,
  legs and back.
• Go easy on your eyes
• Adjust your lighting to provide adequate,
  well-directed light, reduce glare, and help you
  avoid awkward positions.
• Give your eyes periodic breaks by occasionally
  closing them for a few seconds and by looking
  away and focusing on something at a different
  distance.

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Practice Safe Lifting

• Size up the load before lifting. Get help or use
  a mechanical aid for heavy or awkward objects.
• Check that you have a clear path to where you are
  taking the object.
• Make sure you have plenty of room to lift the
  object properly.
• Lift with your legs, not your back.
• Avoid twisting and bending at the waist.
• Carry the load close to your body.
• Squat down to lower the object, using your legs.

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HELPFUL STRETCHES

• Stretching can help refresh muscles and nerves
  and reduce the risk of aches and pains. Stretch
  gently. Stop if a stretch causes discomfort.
  Perform each stretch several times.
• For neck
• Move head up slowly to look at the ceiling for 5
  seconds. Then roll head down and tuck chin to
  chest for 5 seconds.
• Turn head slowly to the right and then the left,
  as far as you can.
• Tilt head slowly to the right shoulder and then
  the left.

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HELPFUL STRETCHES

• For shoulders
• Raise shoulders up and rotate them back, down,
  forward and up.
• Then reverse direction.
• For wrists
• Bend each wrist slowly downward as far as
  possible, then upward.
• For hands
• Make fists and hold for 5 seconds.
• Release, spread fingers and hold for 5 seconds

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WORKING SAFELY WHILE SEATED

• Move close to your work, so you dont have to
  stretch or slouch.
• Sit up straight. If theres a backrest on your
  chair, adjust it to provide firm support against
  your lower back.
• Raise or lower your seat so your arms can be at
  your side, your shoulders are relaxed, and your
  wrists dont have to bend.
• Position tools, supplies and your work within
  easy reach.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.

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ANY QUESTIONS?