Tag: preventing injury

UVA Weighs In on Preventing Workplace Injury with Push/Pull/Lift Tips

Crisis – Overcoming an Emergency with Disaster Plan
Avoid Back Injuries On The Job

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, back injuries make up 20 percent of all workplace injuries. Even more significant is the fact that 80 percent of those injuries involve the lower back and material handling duties.

Back injuries often result in chronic pain which can flare up at any time, either with or without re-aggravation. The Environmental Health & Safety Department of the University of Virginia cites the top five risk factors as:

1. Sloppy posture

2. Poor physical condition

3. Lack of proper body mechanics

4. Poor lifting techniques

5. High-energy jobs

UVA Offers Tips to Avoid Back Injuries

• Pushing and sliding are preferable to lifting.

• Don’t lift objects that exceed one-third to one-half of your own body weight.

• Avoid twisting and stretching to reach or move loads.

• Observe the “safe lifting zone” between your shoulders and knees. If an object is lower, bend your knees and lift with your legs. If it’s higher, use a stool or stepladder to reach it.

• Perform a few basic stretches before and after lifting or maneuvering an object, and continue stretching periodically throughout the day to prevent stiffness.

• Clear any obstacles in your path.

• Wear slip-resistant shoes.

• Support your spine by tightening your abdominal muscles.

• Breathe normally throughout the task. If you find yourself holding your breath, get assistance.

• Use appropriate equipment when necessary.

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Hospitality Industry: Tips on Preventing Back Injuries

Preventing Back Injuries
Preventing Back Injuries

Hotel staff face many of the same injury risks as warehouse and shipping workers — especially when it comes to the repetitive tasks of moving equipment and supply carts. Proper techniques and ergonomic hospitality industry carts help reduce the risk of back injuries and upper body fatigue.

Here are some tips from Oklahoma State University researchers that hospitality staff should keep in mind when training and managing employees:

Store all items on shelves. Supply closets should always make use of shelving to keep items up off the ground.

Place heavy items in the easy lifting zone. The heaviest items should be placed at waist level to reduce back strain when picking them up. Items close to the floor or above the head should be the lightest weight items.

Bend at the knees. Like a baseball catcher getting into position, workers should squat to pick things up by bending at the knees with the feet at shoulder width.

Get a good grip. Reaching out and grabbing things with the fingertips sends more stress through the upper body than firmly grasping objects with the whole hand.

Face forward. When loading up a cart, workers should face the item being picked up and then turn (not twist) to face the cart.

Use motorized carts. Hotel workers who push or pull supply carts up and down the hallways face back injury risk from long-term, repetitive stress. Hospitality industry carts with motorized operation take this out of the equation.

For help reducing back injuries among employees, follow our blog for materials handling tips and check out DJProducts.com for info about ergonomic hospitality industry carts.

Preventing Catastrophe

More than five thousand workers are killed on the job every year; weekly reports can be viewed on OSHA’s website detailing the individual events that caused the fatalities.  This is a very scary number, but what’s scarier than the sheer number of deaths that occurred is that many of them probably could have been prevented.

For the week ending May first (the latest week with an available report), there were nearly twenty fatalities.  One of the accidents involved an employee of a major national retailer who climbed onto a storage rack and fell while attempting to get back onto a ladder.  There are other instances on the weekly report that point to poor judgment on the part of the employee and many that occurred as a result of faulty or malfunctioning equipment.  These reports show that the proper employee training and education and the presence of properly functioning equipment that is specifically designed to handle the type of work being performed can most certainly prevent injuries and very likely save lives.

Warehouse and material handling equipment needs to be more than just fast, it needs to be reliable and safe in order to provide the best possible work environment.   The best material handling equipment is quiet, reliable and easy to use because equipment failure and overly complex controls can increase the chances for accidents and injuries.

Employees need to be properly trained on how to use each piece of material handling equipment that they will encounter while performing their job duties and they need to be well aware of all general safety procedures and practices for the workplace.

There will always be injuries in a line of work that requires plenty of physical labor and the transport of heavy materials, but with the proper education and the safest and most reliable equipment, those injuries can be kept to a minimum.

Your Job and Low Back Pain

If you’re reading this, the odds are that you’ve either experienced low back pain or you will sometime in the future. Low back pain is the leading cause of  work-related disability and a frequent reason for job absences. It’s also the second most common neurological disorder in the United States, behind only headaches.

These injuries frequently occur on the job because one of the main causes is lifting heavy objects, particularly over a period of time. This can result in a sprain or spasm in one of the back muscles or ligaments. Minor injury such as this often improves after a short period of rest.

More serious problems occur when your back is subject to repeated stress. This can result in a bulging or ruptured disc which in turn places pressure on a nerve. Irritation of the nerves is what causes the pain. If this pain becomes chronic, the situation can continue to deteriorate and work activities become increasingly difficult. Repeated injury also causes buildup of scar tissue which makes the back less flexible.

Material handling jobs involve conditions that can easily result in lower back pain. If your work involved moving large carts and other equipment, material handling tugs like our Power Tugger will help prevent injury. They enable one person to easily handle loads of up to 10,000 pounds. Ergonomic design means they also place less stress on your upper body.

Whatever your material handling needs are, DJ Products has a solution that fits. Our Sales Engineers are standing by at 800.686.2651 to answer any of your questions.

Worker’s Compensation Tips – Stay Savvy to Stay Profitable

Workers Compensation
Workers Compensation

Warehouse and distribution companies should pay special attention to the trends in workers’ compensation and employee healthcare. Risk expert Mark Walls of Property Casualty 360 examines how businesses are minimizing injury risks and keeping employees productive — and his insights have inspired us with some great new warehouse management tips.

Trends in Workers’ Comp Networks

For workers’ compensation, employers are moving toward outcome-based networks. OBNs send injured workers to care providers with a track record of fast, effective, and quality results.

It’s all part of looking at the bigger picture. Rather than choosing plans based solely on the price tag, OBNs help control costs and reduce unnecessary claims while also finding ways to get workers healthy and back on the job. Better health and less unnecessary claims lead to a healthier bottom line.

Reducing Injuries & Claims for Warehouse Employees

Many workplace injuries at warehouses stem from constant physical exertion, rather than spills and accidents. Manually pushing and pulling carts and equipment places great strain on the arms, back and legs.

Also, businesses using part-time staff should be aware that less-experienced employees are also prone to injuries. Thorough training and ergonomic tools like motorized carts help ensure a safe work environment for workers of all experience levels and physical abilities.

Ultimately, industrial cart movers reduce injuries so a business can expect fewer workers’ comp claims and a healthy workforce. Preventing injuries in the first place is always better than dealing with claims.

For more warehouse management tips, follow the DJ Products blog. Check out our CartCaddy4SC and other industrial electric carts to boost productivity and minimize workers’ comp risk.