The #1 Workplace Safety Problem

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries. Overall, these injuries cost U.S. businesses billions of dollars each year.

The good news is that by evaluating your existing administrative and engineering controls and making necessary changes, you can reduce the risk of back injuries due to lifting—the cause of three out of every four occupational back injuries.

Suggested administrative controls include:

• Strength testing of existing workers, which prevents work-related injuries by discouraging the assignment of workers to jobs that exceed their strength capabilities.
• Training employees to utilize lifting techniques that place minimum stress on the lower back.
• Physical conditioning or stretching programs to reduce the risk of muscle strain.

Suggested engineering controls include:

• Adjusting the height of a pallet or shelf. Lifting which occurs below knee height or above shoulder height is more strenuous than lifting between these limits.
• Installation of mechanical aids such as pneumatic lifts, conveyors, and/or automated materials handling equipment.