SAFE LIFTINGSAFE LIFTINGAvoiding a Painful BackAvoiding a Painful Back

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The Five Leading Back Injury FactorsThe Five Leading Back 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 FUNCTIONSTHE SPINE’S BASIC FUNCTIONS

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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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 BackYour Lower Back

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STRETCH OFTEN & SHIFT STRETCH OFTEN & SHIFT POSITIONSPOSITIONS

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 SENSE!LIFT WITH COMMON 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 Remember- No

Single Technique Single Technique Will Work in All Will Work in All CircumstancesCircumstances

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THE SAFE LIFTING ZONETHE SAFE LIFTING ZONE The Safe Lifting Zone The Safe Lifting Zone

Is Between the Knees Is Between the Knees and Shouldersand Shoulders

Below Knee Level?Below Knee Level? Bend With Your Knees Bend With Your Knees and Lift With Your and Lift With Your LegsLegs

Above Your Shoulders?Above Your Shoulders? Use a Stool or Ladder Use a Stool or Ladder

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PUSHPUSH---- DON’T PULL DON’T PULL

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

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Do you need equipment to help move it?Do you need equipment to help move it? Must you twist or stretch to get it? Must you twist or stretch to get it?

Use Proper EquipmentUse Proper Equipment

- Hand Trucks- Hand Trucks

- Forklifts- Forklifts

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

Your Position Before Your Position Before You LiftYou Lift

-- Get Help!-- Get Help!

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PREPARING TO LIFT OR MOVEPREPARING TO LIFT OR MOVE

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 LIFTWHEN YOU LIFTDoDo

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 LIFTWHEN YOU LIFTDoDo

Keep the Load Close to Keep the Load Close to Your BodyYour Body

Use Your Leg Muscles Use Your Leg Muscles As You LiftAs You Lift

Keep Your Back Upright, Keep Your Back Upright, Keep It in Its Natural Keep It in Its Natural PosturePosture

Lift Steadily and Lift Steadily and Smoothly Without Smoothly Without JerkingJerking

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WHEN YOU LIFTWHEN 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 LIFTWHEN YOU LIFT

Do NotDo Not Lift While Reaching or Lift While Reaching or

StretchingStretching Lift From an Lift From an

Uncomfortable PostureUncomfortable Posture Don’t Fight to Recover Don’t Fight to Recover

a Dropped Objecta Dropped Object

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EXERCISE FOR LOW BACK PAINEXERCISE FOR LOW BACK PAIN

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