Back/Manual Material Handling

Safety

Mike Papakyriakou

Occupational Health & Safety

Phone: 33477

E-mail: mikepapa@yorku.ca

yorku.ca/ergo

Revised Sep 10, 2013

If you are viewing this

document online, most of the

links will NOT work.

Please contact me for

assistance.

Phone: 416-736-2100 x33477 E-mail: mikepapa@yorku.ca

Causes of low back pain

• Video emphasizes sitting but also applies to any prolonged postures and bending

• Local

• Web (Spine and Discs)

Source: www.ergocentric.com

Healthy vs Un-healthy Spine

Un-healthy Spine Healthy Spine

Bad News

Good News

Bad habits start early

Tissue

Damage

Backs, elbows, shoulders, etc

Time

Just because we don’t feel pain,

doesn’t mean we aren’t damaging tissue

nerves on outside of disc

Source: ErgoCentric

Tissue

Damage

Injury is gradual,

Pain is sudden

Time

Pain

No Pain

What is affected if you have a bad

back?

• Work

• Recreation

• Walking

• Sitting

• Sleeping

• Everything you do!

Back Safety Quiz

• How to protect your back

• Not just at work

• Not possible to do everything right all the

time

• Try to do as many things right as you can

all the time

Back Safety Quiz #1

A) Upper body upright

B) Lean forward or to the side

Half body

weight

Back muscles

http://www.bartleby.com/107/illus389.html

What posture is easiest for your back muscles?

• Stand upright

• Hands over low back muscles on each side of spine

• Above pelvis

• Below rib cage

• Lean forward

– What do you feel?

Workshop Activities

• Tell me and I forget

• Show me and I remember

• Involve me and I understand

- Chinese Proverb

Source: http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/stacking/13.phtml

X

Source: http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/bundles/ihsa/news/enews/construction/Aug2010/daniels_tackles_msds.html

http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/Ergonomics/Resources.asp?ReportID=24352

X

X

Source: http://www.healthandsafetyontario.ca/bundles/ihsa/news/enews/construction/Aug2010/daniels_tackles_msds.html

Safe lifting zone

• Where should boxes be stored for easiest

removal? Assume no handles on boxes.

Small group: demo w pen

1

2

3

What looks easier?

Waist height lift Floor height lift

Safe

lifting

zone

http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH/puborder.asp

What’s easier?

1

2

3

Safe lifting zone

1

2

3

Safe lifting zone

1

2

3

Safe lifting zone

Overhead lifting (refer to “army” guide)

Which is safer? Why?

An alternative

Is this pail on the floor a problem?

Floor not bad, if handle is in the safe lift zone

2 3

Easiest shelf to place this box?

Small group: demo w pen

1

2 3

Minimize vertical movement

1

2 3

Easiest shelf to place this box?

1

2 3

Minimize vertical movement

-ideally at waist weight

1

1

2

3

What if box #2 handled most

frequently?

1

2

3

What if box #2 handled most

frequently?

File cabinet loading

Source: CCOHS

Back Safety Quiz #2 When lifting, bending, pushing, pulling:

A) TIGHTEN core muscles

B) RELAX core muscles.

http://www.bartleby.com/107/illus389.html

Protect spine by bracing,

tightening core muscles

Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/Timber_frame.jpg

How to tighten your back muscles

• lean forward/return

• tighten abs/stomach

• hissssssss (loud, teeth

together)

Back Safety Quiz #3 When lifting, bending, pushing, pulling:

A) MAINTAIN the inward curve of your low back

B) FLATTEN the inward curve of your low back

Situations resulting in loss of

curve

• Bending

• Sitting

Back support

for prolonged

sitting

back huggar www.bodyline.com/bh/br_p3.html

Tighten core muscles to keep

inward curve of low back,

bend at hips

Back Safety Quiz #4

After prolonged sitting or lying down:

A) Lift or bend immediately

B) Warm up before lifting or bending

After breaks

After driving

After sleeping

Back Safety Quiz #5

If you must lean forward or to the side:

A) Lean on something with your hand or elbow

B) Don't lean on anything

Hand on table

Hand on knee

Elbow on knee

video

Practice

• video

Back Safety Quiz #6

A) Move with SMOOTH changes in speed

B) Move with SUDDEN changes in speed

Sudden changes in speed:

Intentional vs Unintentional

Test load before lift

Ensure load doesn’t shift while moving it

Intentional:

Jumping from trucks, loading docks, etc

Unintentional:

Slips and Falls

link to DOHS website

Can shoe type increase risk of slip?

Back Safety Quiz #7

A) Keep loads CLOSE to your body

B) Keep loads FAR from your body

Minimize horizontal distance

from object to low back

Weight of

object

(line of

force)

Slide objects close before lifting

Not always easy keeping the

load close!

Carry a smaller load in each

hand

Source: www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/clean_sweep.pdf

Lifting long handled tools

http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/Ergonomics/Resources.asp?ReportID=24352

Lifting long handled tools

Lifting long handled tools

http://www.dir.ca.gov/DOS

H/puborder.asp

X

Back Safety Quiz #8

A) TWIST your back

B) DON'T TWIST your back

Shoulders &

hips facing

same direction

Easier when

moving feet

Watch out for twisting (not just

when lifting boxes)

http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/Ergonomics/Resources.asp?ReportID=24352

X

Back Safety Quiz #9

A) PUSH a cart

B) PULL a cart

• No twisting

• Line of force thru body

centre

• Low risk of running

over feet

Source: http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/stacking/19.phtml

Some objects are NOT designed for pushing

If you must pull, use 2 hands to prevent twisting

Avoid walking backwards

1-handed pushing & pulling

• Twisting force on

spine when line of

force is NOT through

body centre

• Keep hands close

• Switch hands

Back Safety Quiz #10

A) Be physically fit

B) Be out of shape

Benefits of Exercise

• summit video

Who is more likely to get hurt?

Good & Bad Exercises

for Low Back Pain (WebMD)

Tissue

rest

Tissue

work

Not Enough Tissue Work Is As Bad As

Too Much Tissue Work

My doctor has told me to stay

active but it hurts…

Clinic on Campus: Athlete’s Care

• Sports Medicine

Physicians

• Orthopedic Surgery

Consultations

• Physiotherapy

• Athletic Therapy

• Massage Therapy

• Chiropractic

• Medical

Acupuncture

• Nutritional

Counseling

More exercise information

York Facilities

• Personal/Group

Training

• Swimming

• Yoga

• Pilates

• Tai Chi

Back Safety Quiz #11

Switch to another activity:

A) BEFORE discomfort occurs

B) AFTER discomfort occurs

After discomfort is too late!

More information on pacing

Back Safety Quiz #12

A) Sit upright for a long time

B) Alternate between sitting and standing

Back Safety Quiz #13

When standing for

prolonged periods:

A) place one foot on a

footrest occasionally

B) never move your feet

Back Safety Quiz #14

Using proper body mechanics:

A) lift any object no matter how heavy

B) some objects may still be too heavy to lift

What should we do if

something is too

heavy?

Can you make it lighter?

Empty frequently,

before it gets too heavy

http://www2.worksafebc.com/Topics/Ergonomics/Resources.asp?ReportID=24352

Don’t overfill

http://www.ohiobwc.com/employer/programs/safety/Ergoliftguide.asp

The weights indicated are guidelines only.

Some people can lift more, some can lift less.

Some situations that reduce the

amount of weight able to be

lifted:

•twisting

•lifting while sitting or

kneeling

•frequent lifting

•one handed lifting

•lifting in confined areas

with limited headroom, etc

•unstable objects

•lifting with high speed

motion

•poor environment (too

warm, slippery, etc)

•prolonged sitting or

bending prior to lift

•etc

If you think what you’re doing

could cause an injury …

• Ask for help and/or

let your supervisor

know

• Earlier the better

• Why don’t we ask for

help?

This can be delayed

How did you do?

Problems and Solutions

Lift with your head,

not with your back.

Summit Examples

(not for office)

Basic (Diagonal) Lift

Tripod Lift – knee pad helpful

video

hug load

push down

Power Lift

Basic (Diagonal) vs Power Lift

Power Lift

Weight lifter video

Look forward

Tighten core

Lock curve

Tripod Lift - Find The Mistake

• Tripod #1

Tripod Lift - Find The Mistake

Power Lift - Find The Mistake

• Power #1

Power Lift - Find The Mistake

Your Picture Here!

Safe lifting for the hands

Best grip?

Best grip?

Finger muscles supporting weight of object

Finger muscles not working as hard (paper demo, open fingers)

Lifting books

Source: http://www.usg.edu/ehs/training/stacking/11.phtml

Demo: pinch ream of paper

Keep pinch grip to a minimum

• Use 2

hands

• If you must

use 1 hand,

alternate

hands

• At least 1

hand

beneath the

object

Caution:

Physical Activity

Ahead

More information on

stretching

Power Lift Posture • Hold object

• Feet shoulder width apart

• Hold object between legs

• Arms close to vertical and straight

• Look ahead

• Natural low back curve

• Tighten core muscles

• Lower your butt

– pretend you attempting to sit on a chair

• REPEAT

• How low can you go? Video

Can you feel the difference?

Demo: Bin lower with strings attached

Videos: side view, neutral, flexed

Questions (large group session)

yorku.ca/ergo

Practice: Box lift

• Work in pairs

• One lift, the other watches, then switch

• Try different “army” techniques