Back Up Your Back Safety Program with These Injury Prevention Strategies

Although they may not be as dramatic as fatal accidents or amputation incidents, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can be extremely painful for employees, as well as costly for employers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2011, MSDs accounted for 33 percent of all workplace injury and illness cases. Workers with MSDs required a median of 11 days away from work to recover, compared to a median of 8 days for all types of injuries.

• Back injuries are the most common, accounting for 41.8% of MSDs in 2011. To help prevent back injuries, educate your workers about safe lifting practices. Workplace wellness programs that encourage physical fitness and a healthy body weight may also help to reduce back injuries.
• Shoulder injuries accounted for just 13% of MSDs in 2011, but tended to be the most severe, requiring a median of 21 days away from work to recover. Light stretching, the use of lifting and gripping aids, and frequent short rest breaks can help to minimize the risk of shoulder injuries.

Today, we’ll focus on preventing back injuries and tomorrow we’ll cover shoulder injuries.

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Rx for Preventing Back Injuries

According to the staff at the Mayo Clinic, there are several steps your employees can take to avoid injuring their backs:

• Physical activity. Exercise helps keep the back limber and strong. The people at the Mayo Clinic remind us that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity (walking or golfing, for example) or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity (jogging, basketball, tennis, or biking, for example). HHS also recommends strength training twice a week to strengthen back and abdominal muscles.
• Posture. Poor posture is a common cause of back pain. Slouching when standing or sitting is a major culprit. When standing for long periods, employees should stand with feet apart and weight balanced over both feet. When sitting, employees should sit up straight, with both feet flat on the floor. A pillow can be used to support the lower back.
• Proper lifting. The key to safe lifting and preventing back injuries is to lift with the legs, not with back. When lifting objects, employees should bend the knees, maintain the natural curve of the back, and let the leg muscles power the lift as they rise. For objects that are too heavy to be lifted safely, employees should use mechanical aids or get help from a co-worker.
• Repetitive tasks. Repetition of the same movements over and over puts a lot of stress on the body. Tasks that involve bending, twisting, reaching, and lifting should be modified to the extent possible to minimize strain on the back. The Mayo Clinic staff also recommends that employees alternate tasks that are physically demanding on the back with less stressful ones to give their backs a chance to rest.
• Time out. Frequent short breaks when performing physically demanding or repetitive tasks can also help reduce the risk of back injury. Employees should take minibreaks of a minute or two every half hour or so to stretch and relax tired back muscles.

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The staff at the Mayo Clinic has this additional advice for employees: ” Back pain can plague your workdays and free time. You’re not stuck with it, though. Take time to examine your work environment and address situations that might aggravate your back. Even simple steps to ease back pain are steps in the right direction.”

To help employers address ergonomic hazards, such as back problems, BLR has created a resource center that provides training materials, checklists, and other information on preventing common musculoskeletal injuries. A subscription to Safety.BLR.com gains you unlimited access to the resource center. To find out about how to subscribe to Safety.BLR.com, click here