Back Safety

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Back Safety
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Back Activities

• Reaching, bending over, sitting
• Skiing, hiking, bike riding
• Playing with your children and grandchildren
• Working and feeling productive

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Back Safety Goals

• Back injury and injury prevention
• Lifting techniques
• Quiz

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Back Statistics

• 80 of Americans will have a back injury that
  requires medical attention
• Back injuries are the second most common cause of
  lost work time, next to the common cold
• Back injuries occur more often at home than they
  do at work
• Injured backs are often subject to reinjury
• In addition to missed work, there may be a
  lifetime of pain

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Back Parts

• Vertebrae
• Spinal cord
• Disks
• Muscles, ligaments, tendons

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Potential Back Injury

• Strain or sprain
• Bulging disk
• Herniated disk

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Causes of Injury

• Years of abuse
• Poor posture
• Unconditioned back
• Excess weight and potbellies
• Bad lifting techniques

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Back Posture

• Maintain the backs natural curves
• Standing
• Sitting
• Sleeping
• Changing posture and stretching
• Adaptive posture

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Conditioning Your Back

• Physical conditioning
• Flexibility
• Excess weight and potbellies

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Exercises

• Walking
• Stretching
• Sit-ups
• Leg lifts
• Squats

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Lifting Equipment

• Powered equipment such as forklifts, powered
  carts, and electric pallet jacks
• Handtrucks, carts, pallet jacks
• Cranes and hoists
• Conveyors

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Back Safety Goals

• Back injury and injury prevention
• Lifting techniques
• Quiz

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Lifting Plan

• Size up the load
• Weight
• Shape and size
• Clear the path
• Objects
• Tight doorways or corners
• Unloading zone

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Proper Lift

• Stand close with a shoulder-width stance
• Squat by bending your knees and hips
• Pull the load close and grip it
• Tighten your stomach, lift your head
• Rise up with your legs

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Carrying the Load

• Make sure you can see
• Take small, stable steps
• Do not twist your back

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Proper Unloading

• Squat down with the load
• Do not bend your back over with the load
• Be careful of fingers

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Overhead Loads

• Shoulders level with the load
• Slide the load close
• Use your legs

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Long Loads

• Pick up one end
• Place the balance point on your shoulder
• Watch the ends

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Lifting Bags

• Squat down next to the bag
• Grab it at opposite corners
• Lift it up to your thigh or waist
• Stand up
• Put the load on your shoulder

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Team Lifting

• Designate a person to lead the lift
• Lift at the same time
• Keep the load level
• Unload slowly together

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Think About Your Back

• Dont be lazy
• Think long term
• Dont try to lift too much
• Consider your back in all things

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Back Safety Goals

• Back injury and injury prevention
• Lifting techniques
• Quiz

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Summary

• Maintain back posture and conditioning
• Use available lifting equipment
• Have a lifting plan
• Use your legs
• Always think about your back

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Quiz

• 1. More back injuries occur at work than at
  home. True or False
• 2. Poor __________ can cause back pain by
  disrupting the backs natural curve.
• 3. Name 2 things to check before attempting to
  lift a load _________________,
  __________________.
• 4. Lifting with your legs is necessary only when
  attempting to lift heavy loads. True or False
• 5. Describe 2 of the more common back injuries
  __________________, __________________.

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Quiz (cont.)

• 6. A weekend warrior might incur a back injury
  because his back is not _______________________.
• 7. When conducting a team lift, the first thing
  you should do is _______________________________.
• 8. Back injuries are usually the result of a
  single traumatic event. True or False
• 9. Name some of the material handling equipment
  that your company has available
  __________________.
• 10. Is your back more suited for pushing or
  pulling a load? _________________________________
  __

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Quiz Answers

• 1. False. More back injuries occur at home.
  Thats why we also need to consider our backs
  when away from work.
• 2. Poor posture disrupts the backs natural
  curves.
• 3. Size up or evaluate the load, clear the
  pathway.
• 4. False. Lifting incorrectly even with light
  loads constitutes back abuse.
• 5. Strained muscle, sprained or torn ligament,
  bulging disk, herniated or ruptured disk.

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Quiz Answers (cont.)

• 6. The weekend warriors back is usually not
  properly conditioned for strenuous work.
• 7. Designating a lift leader help to coordinate
  the lift to keep all participants safe.
• 8. False. Back injuries are usually the result of
  years of abuse until the weakened back snaps.
• 9. Material handling equipment might include
  cart, forklift, handtruck, pallet jack, conveyor,
  hoist.
• 10. The back has more strength pushing than it
  does when pulling.