Safety Lifting Guidelines
Lifting heavy objects is potentially hazardous if done incorrectly, posing the greatest risk to back injuries among workers – yet these injuries can often be avoided with these safety lifting guidelines.
Before trying to lift something, assess its size and make sure there are no obstructions or other potential risks in its path.
Lifting and Carrying Heavy Objects
Education of employees on safe lifting techniques is an integral component of mitigating risks associated with this form of manual handling. Workplaces can take steps to minimize these risks by offering machine-operated load assistance or restructuring their workspace to limit time required for these types of tasks. Injuries caused by improper lifting techniques can include back sprains, muscle pulls and wrist injuries which result in lost days from work and costly workers’ compensation claims.
Remembering the changes to physical capabilities over time, particularly after prolonged lifting activities can alter someone’s capabilities over time. People experiencing fatigue or injury should refrain from participating in these activities to reduce the risk of serious or life-threatening accidents.
Injurys sustained when lifting and carrying heavy objects can be extremely severe and could even result in permanent disability, so proper handling technique must be employed when lifting these loads. When necessary, heavy objects should be transported by other personnel or machinery instead.
When an employee needs to lift a heavy object, it is vital that they prepare by clearing away obstacles along their route and wearing footwear that enables free foot movement while offering ample traction on any slippery materials. It is also crucial that appropriate clothing be worn during this task in order to provide maximum safety during its completion.
To minimize pressure placed on the spine, it is crucial that one stands close to and centers their body over a load. Furthermore, keeping their back straight or slightly arched and not twisting during lift is also highly advised; whenever possible it would be advantageous for it be distributed between both shoulders.
As with anything, it is important to recognize your limits as a body builder and don’t attempt to lift anything that exceeds them. If an employee begins feeling fatigued or experiencing discomfort while lifting something heavy, they should stop and rest or seek assistance immediately.
Lifting and Lowering Objects
Safety should always be top of mind when lifting objects, so workers need to carefully consider their capabilities as well as the weight and distance of each object they lift before picking it up and placing it where it belongs. They should never lift more than they can safely manage, asking for assistance if their tasks become overwhelming, as well as considering height requirements as this could increase injury risks.
Employees should use proper lifting techniques when lifting items, as improper techniques may result in back injuries. Bending, twisting and over-extending their bodies can all contribute to back problems; employees should ensure that they use their legs rather than backs to lift items close to their bodies for safe transport and take breaks whenever possible when holding an object for extended periods of time.
No matter how effective an employer’s preventive measures may be, such as machine-operated load assistance, there will still be tasks which require employees to manually lift heavy objects. Therefore, all employees should receive training in proper lifting procedures in order to prevent back injuries or any other workplace incidents.
By employing proper lifting and handling techniques in the workplace, companies can drastically decrease injuries as well as days missed from staff due to back-related problems. Training on lifting techniques should be prioritized for any company regardless of industry or workplace type; back injuries are incredibly costly for any organization in terms of lost productivity, turnover and indemnity claims alone. For further insight on this and related workplace topics, don’t hesitate to speak with one of our Safety Services specialists, they offer expert advice in all areas of workplace health and safety.
Working as a Team
Employees should collaborate whenever possible when lifting, carrying or otherwise moving heavy loads. Working together allows weight distribution and reduces injury risks; team members also have an opportunity to spot any issues or risks such as sudden muscle fatigue.
Be mindful that each individual possesses different lifting capacities, and these could be affected by factors like fatigue, previous lifting experiences or illness. While limits must be set, workers should still be treated as individuals and allowed the flexibility to reduce how much they lift if necessary.
Back and lifting injuries are one of the main contributors to missed workdays, making it critical that workplaces understand how to prevent and treat such injuries as soon as they occur. Preventative measures like fitness-to-work testing can be helpful, while it is essential that employees receive regular training on safe lifting techniques to ensure they complete their tasks safely.
Using Equipment
Employees in any workplace that involves heavy lifting should receive extensive training on all equipment they may require, including safe lifting techniques and correct operating procedures for each piece of machinery they will be using, with regard to maximum tolerances and allowances of any such machines they are permitted to operate; workers should also be reminded to check that this equipment is functioning perfectly before use.
Workers required to use any type of equipment must be mindful of its risks when operating it, as injuries such as back and lifting injuries remain a possibility. Preventative measures can lower these risks by engaging in stretching programs to acclimatise themselves to their day’s tasks prior to beginning, or posting signage around their workplace reminding workers to lift safely.
Even with precautionary measures in place, many workplaces still require employees to perform tasks that involve lifting. If this is the case for your organization, one effective strategy for protecting employees against injuries caused by this task involves risk elimination: for instance allowing workers to perform the task without manually lifting it; this might include using machinery-operated load assistance systems or receiving access to vehicles capable of transporting large loads.
If a job necessitates lifting heavy objects, workers must be trained on the correct methods of lifting in order to minimise injury or fatality. Equipment suppliers or arrangers who provide or arrange use should also be familiar with safety guidelines in terms of hardware/software measures to be enforced, routine maintenance requirements and disposing old equipment safely.
Workers should ensure they are fully dressed before using equipment and should avoid wearing necklaces, bracelets and rings that could become caught up in moving parts or present a trip hazard. Furthermore, any warning labels attached to machinery must never be removed as this puts workers at an increased risk for injury.