NSCC Back Care andNSCC Back Care andSafe Lifting ProgramSafe Lifting Program

Avoiding a Painful BackAvoiding a Painful Back

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The Five Leading The Five Leading Back Injury FactorsBack Injury Factors

Poor PosturePoor Posture Poor Physical ConditionPoor Physical Condition Improper Body MechanicsImproper Body Mechanics Incorrect LiftingIncorrect Lifting Jobs That Require High EnergyJobs That Require High Energy

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The spine’s basic The spine’s basic functionsfunctions

Providing SupportProviding Support Protecting the Protecting the

Spinal CordSpinal Cord Providing Providing

Flexibility to Allow Flexibility to Allow Bending and Bending and RotatingRotating

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Lever effect -- can magnify weight by factor

of up to 10(40 lbs.)

(200 lbs.)

Maximum Safe Lifting Weight = 51lbs - 2 hours

per day - variable conditions

National Safety Council

10 lbs.

100 lbs.

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Standing PostureStanding Posture Keep Your Spinal Keep Your Spinal

Column Aligned in Column Aligned in Its Natural CurvesIts Natural Curves

Prop One Foot up Prop One Foot up on a Stool to on a Stool to Reduce Stress in Reduce Stress in Your Lower Back - Your Lower Back - rotate oftenrotate often

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Sitting PostureSitting Posture Sit back in your chair for Sit back in your chair for

support with shoulders support with shoulders relaxedrelaxed

Keep head balanced over Keep head balanced over shouldersshoulders

Keep wrists straight and Keep wrists straight and forearms at a slight inclineforearms at a slight incline

Thighs parallel to floor Thighs parallel to floor with knees slightly higher - with knees slightly higher - feet firmly on floor or foot feet firmly on floor or foot restrest

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Stretch often and Stretch often and shift positionsshift positions

Change (Shift) Your Change (Shift) Your Posture OftenPosture Often

Stretch Frequently Stretch Frequently Throughout the DayThroughout the Day

Keep Your Body Keep Your Body Flexible (Not Rigid or Flexible (Not Rigid or Fixed)Fixed)

Don’t Force Your Body Don’t Force Your Body to Conform to Its to Conform to Its WorkspaceWorkspace

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Lift with common Lift with common sense!sense!

Assess the situationAssess the situation Is the load big, Is the load big,

bulky, heavy?bulky, heavy? Do you need help?Do you need help? Remember- no single Remember- no single

technique will work technique will work in all circumstancesin all circumstances

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The safe lifting zoneThe safe lifting zone The Safe Lifting Zone Is The Safe Lifting Zone Is

Between the Knees and Between the Knees and ShouldersShoulders

Below Knee Level?Below Knee Level? Bend Bend With Your Knees and Lift With Your Knees and Lift With Your LegsWith Your Legs

Above Your Shoulders?Above Your Shoulders? Use a Stool, Ladder or Use a Stool, Ladder or better still - use a platformbetter still - use a platform

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Push - Don’t Pull!Push - Don’t Pull! Pushing cart or load you Pushing cart or load you

will have more control will have more control and leverageand leverage

Use both hands to control Use both hands to control hand truck or carthand truck or cart

If you must pull load, lean If you must pull load, lean over it instead of leaning over it instead of leaning or arching backwardsor arching backwards

Can You Slide It Instead Can You Slide It Instead of Lifting It?of Lifting It?

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Do you need equipment to Do you need equipment to help move the load?help move the load?Must you twist or stretch to Must you twist or stretch to get at it? get at it? Use Proper Use Proper

EquipmentEquipment

- Hand Trucks- Hand Trucks

- Forklifts- Forklifts

- Dollies- Dollies Readjust the Load or Readjust the Load or

Your Position Before Your Position Before You Lift - Get Help!You Lift - Get Help!

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Preparing to lift or Preparing to lift or movemove

Have You Stretched Have You Stretched Your Muscles or Your Muscles or Warmed up Before Warmed up Before Lifting?Lifting?

Are You Wearing Are You Wearing Slip Resistant Shoes?Slip Resistant Shoes?

Have You Cleared a Have You Cleared a Pathway Before You Pathway Before You Move the Item?Move the Item?

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When you lift….When you lift….DoDo

Plant Your Feet Firmly- Plant Your Feet Firmly- Get a Stable BaseGet a Stable Base

Bend at Your Knees- Bend at Your Knees- Not Your WaistNot Your Waist

Tighten Your Tighten Your Abdominal Muscles to Abdominal Muscles to Support Your SpineSupport Your Spine

Get a Good Grip- Use Get a Good Grip- Use Both HandsBoth Hands

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When you lift….When you lift….DoDo

Keep the load close to your Keep the load close to your bodybody

Use your leg, abdominal Use your leg, abdominal and buttock muscles as and buttock muscles as you liftyou lift

Keep your back and head Keep your back and head upright, keep it in its upright, keep it in its natural posturenatural posture

Lift steadily and smoothly Lift steadily and smoothly without jerking - breathe!without jerking - breathe!

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When you lift….When you lift….Do NotDo Not

Lift From the FloorLift From the Floor Twist and LiftTwist and Lift Lift With One Hand Lift With One Hand

(Unbalanced)(Unbalanced) Lift Loads Across Lift Loads Across

ObstaclesObstacles

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When you lift….When you lift….Do NotDo Not

Lift While Reaching Lift While Reaching or Stretchingor Stretching

Lift From an Lift From an Uncomfortable Uncomfortable PosturePosture

Don’t Fight to Don’t Fight to Recover a Dropped Recover a Dropped ObjectObject

Don’t hold your Don’t hold your breath while liftingbreath while lifting

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Carrying the Carrying the load…load…

•Hold the load close so you can see over it.

• Keep the load balanced.

• Avoid twisting the body

• Watch out for pinch points -- doorways, etc.

• Face the way you will be moving.

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Exercise for low back Exercise for low back painpain

Keeps Body Keeps Body FlexibleFlexible

Helps Prevent Helps Prevent InjuryInjury

Do Not Overdo-- Do Not Overdo-- Follow Doctor’s Follow Doctor’s Instruction Instruction CarefullyCarefully

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Remember!Remember! Your Work Day Is One Third of Your Total Your Work Day Is One Third of Your Total

DayDay Plan Your Tasks Carefully to Avoid a Plan Your Tasks Carefully to Avoid a

Painful BackPainful Back Managing Your Back Is Your Managing Your Back Is Your

ResponsibilityResponsibility