Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 17

Chia sẻ: Nguyen Nhi | Ngày: | Loại File: PDF | Số trang:8

Thêm vào BST

Báo xấu

53
lượt xem 5
download

Download Vui lòng tải xuống để xem tài liệu đầy đủ

Nó có lẽ là an toàn để giả định rằng người lao động trong lĩnh vực bán lẻ, bán buôn, và kho thực hiện một số lượng lớn các nâng nhiệm vụ như là một phần của nhiệm vụ công việc của họ một số trong đó có thể được cả hai nặng và tại những thời điểm khó xử. Người sử dụng lao động trong các ngành công nghiệp cần nâng một cách cẩn thận, kể từ khi chấn thương trở lại và cố gắng quá sức là nguyên nhân hàng đầu của chấn thương. Nó không phải là...

Chủ đề:

Bình luận(0) Đăng nhập để gửi bình luận!

Lưu

Nội dung Text: Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 17

17 Lifting Lifting is an integral part of goods and material handling. It is probably safe to assume that workers in retail, wholesale, and warehousing perform a large number of lifting tasks as an integral part of their job duties some of which could be both heavy and at times awkward. Employers in these industry sectors should lift carefully since overexertion and back injuries are the leading causes of injuries. It should not be a foregone conclusion that back injuries are an acceptable part of doing business. Efforts should be directed toward prevention although many employers as well as workers view lifting as a natural activity that everyone knows how to do correctly. This has proven to be a false belief. 17.1 BACK INJURIES Back disorders can develop gradually as a result of microtrauma brought about by repetitive activity over time or can be caused by a single traumatic event. Because of the slow and progressive onset of this internal injury, the condition is often ignored until the symptoms become acute, often resulting in disabling injury. Acute back injuries can be the immediate result of improper lifting techniques and=or lifting loads that are too heavy for the back to support. While the acute injury may seem to be caused by a single well-deﬁned incident, the real cause is often a combined interaction of the observed stressor coupled with years of weakening of the musculo- skeletal support mechanism by repetitive microtrauma. Injuries can arise in muscle, ligament, vertebrae, and disks, either singly or in combination. Although back injuries account for no work-related deaths, they do account for a signiﬁcant amount of human suffering, loss of productivity, and economic burden ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
on compensation systems. Back disorders are one of the leading causes of disability for people in their working years and afﬂict over 600,000 employees each year with a cost of about $50 billion annually in 1991 according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The frequency and economic impact of back injuries and disorders on the workforce are expected to increase over the next several decades as the average age of the workforce increases and medical costs go up. 17.2 BACK DISORDERS 17.2.1 FACTORS ASSOCIATED BACK DISORDERS WITH Back disorders result from exceeding the capability of the muscles, tendons, disks, or the cumulative effect of several contributors: . Reaching while lifting Poor posture—how one sits or stands (Figure 17.1) . Stressful living and working activities—staying in one position for too long . Bad body mechanics—how one lifts, pushes, pulls, or carries objects . Poor physical condition—losing the strength and endurance to perform . physical tasks without strain . Poor design of job or workstation . Repetitive lifting of awkward items, equipment, or (in health care facilities) patients Awkward postures FIGURE 17.1 Stretching and poor posture can cause back injuries. (Courtesy of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.) ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
. Twisting while lifting . Bending while lifting . Maintaining bent postures . Heavy lifting . Fatigue Poor footing such as slippery ﬂoors or constrained posture . . Lifting with forceful movement . Vibration, such as with lift truck drivers, delivery drivers, etc. 17.2.2 BEFORE LIFT A Before a lift is performed some actions need to be taken to assure the lift is a safe one. These are as follows: . Checking the object before a lift is attempted by testing every load before lifting by pushing the object with your hands or feet to see how easily it moves. This gives an idea of how heavy it is. Remember, a small size does not always mean a light load. . Check to make sure the load is packed correctly. Make sure the weight is balanced and packed so it would not move around. Loose pieces inside a box can cause accidents if the box becomes unbalanced. . Check to see if the load can be gripped easily. Be sure that you have a tight grip before lifting. Objects with handles can be lifted in a safer manner. . Check to see if the load is within easy reach. An injury can occur if the back is arched when lifting a load. To prevent a back injury use a ladder when lifting something over head level. . Determine that the best way to pick up an object is being used. Use slow and smooth movements. Hurried, jerky movements can strain muscles in the back. Keep the body facing the object while lifting. Twisting while lifting can injure the back. Keep the load close to the body. Having to reach and carry an object may hurt the back. Lifting with the legs should be done only when the load can be straddled. To lift with the legs, bend the knees while keeping the back straight. Try to carry the load in the space between the shoulder and the waist. This puts less strain on the back muscles. . Follow the steps suggested in Figure 17.2 to make a safe lift. 17.3 SYMPTOMS AND CONTRIBUTORS TO INJURIES Signs and symptoms include pain when attempting to assume normal posture, decreased mobility, and pain when standing or rising from a seated position. At times the following are contributors to work-related back injuries: . Congenital defects of the spine . Increase in static standing or sitting tasks . An aging workforce . Decreases in physical conditioning and exercise ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Good lifting techniques Avoid overloading Re-position the load Stop and look at the load’s 1. Tense stomach muscles Do not twist 1. Weight 2. Keep load close to body 1. Move foot in direction 2. Size 3. Place feet around load of turn 3. Shape 4. Grip corners 2. Move entire body When lifting, remember to... Tense stomach muscles Straighten back Bend at hips Bend at knees Lift with legs FIGURE 17.2 Steps to follow in making a safe lift. . Lack of awareness of workplace hazards . Job dissatisfaction Manual materials handling is the principal source of compensable injuries in the American workforce, and four out of ﬁve of these injuries will affect the lower back. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
17.4 RECORDS REVIEW: OSHA 300 LOG Note when back or other musculoskeletal disorders appear excessive from lost work day injury and illness (LWDII) rate calculations. Understand that excessiveness is relative, since there is no set limit that delineates safe from unsafe. A better measure is to look for trends of escalating number of injuries or of increasing severity of injuries. Comparing your target population with Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, other company rates, other lines, departments, wings, or occupational titles can yield a meaningful measuring point to gauge excessiveness. Back injuries should be treated as an injury on the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) 300 log regardless of whether the injury was the result of an acute or chronic exposure. To determine if trends exist, at least several years of the OSHA 300 log will have to be reviewed. Record or copy information, including occupational titles, departments, dates of injury, or illness, from the OSHA 300 log and pertinent OSHA 301 (or equivalent). 17.5 EVALUATING BACK INJURIES The following techniques can be used to assess why back injuries occurred: . Use a walkaround. Interview employees about their opinion on the difﬁculty of the task as well . as personal experiences of back pain. . Observe worker postures and lifting. . Determine weight of objects lifted. . Determine the frequency and duration of lifting tasks. . Measure the dimensions of the workplace and lift. . Videotapes should be taken of the work task for later review and for evidence of recognized musculoskeletal hazards. 17.6 MANUAL LIFTING Repetitive material handling increases the likelihood of a back disorder. Principal variables in evaluating manual lifting tasks to determine how heavy a load can be lifted are the horizontal distance from the load to the employee’s spine, the vertical distance through which the load is handled, the amount of trunk twisting the employee utilized during the lifting, the ability of the hand to grasp the load, and the frequency with which the load is handled. Additional variables include ﬂoor and shoe traction, space constraints, two-handed lifts, size, and stability of the load. 17.7 PREVENTION AND CONTROL 17.7.1 ENGINEERING CONTROLS Generally, the task can be altered to eliminate the hazardous motion and=or change the position of the object in relation to the employee’s body—such as adjusting the height of ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
FIGURE 17.3 Use a handtruck to avoid lifting and carrying task. (Courtesy of the Occupa- tional Safety and Health Administration.) a pallet or shelf. Manual handling tasks should be designed to minimize the weight, range of motion, and frequency of the activity. Work methods and stations should be designed to minimize the distance between the person and the object being handled. Platforms and conveyors should be built at about waist height to minimize awkward postures. Conveyors or carts should be used for horizontal motion whenever possible. Reduce the size or weight of the objects lifted. High-strength push–pull requirements are undesirable, but pushing is better than pulling. Material handling equipment should be easy to move, with handles that can be easily grasped in an upright posture (Figure 17.3). Workbench or workstation conﬁgurations can force people to bend over. Cor- rections should emphasize adjustments necessary for the employee to remain in a relaxed upright stance or fully supported seated posture. Bending the upper body and spine to reach into a bin or container is highly undesirable. The bins should be elevated, tilted, or equipped with collapsible sides to improve access. Repetitive or sustained twisting, stretching, or leaning to one side are undesirable. Corrections could include repositioning bins and moving employees closer to parts and con- veyors. Store heavy objects at waist level. Provide lift-assist devices and lift tables. 17.8 CONTROLS AND WORK PRACTICES The following are controls and other methods that address the prevention of back injuries at the workplace: . Engineering controls are the preferred mechanism to address interventions. . Worker training and education should include general principles of ergo- nomics, recognition of hazards and injuries, procedures for reporting haz- ardous conditions, and methods and procedures for early reporting of ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
injuries. Additionally, job-speciﬁc training should be given on safe work practices, hazards, and controls. The training should include practical sessions where workers are taught and practice safe lifting techniques under expert supervision. Strength and ﬁtness training can reduce compensation costs. . . Rotating of employees, providing a short break every hour, or using a two- person lift may be helpful. Rotation is not simply a different job, but must be a job that utilizes a completely different muscle group from the ones that have been over-exerted. . Standing for extended periods places excessive strain on the back and legs. Solutions include a footrest or rail, resilient ﬂoor mats, height-adjustable chairs or stools, and opportunities for the employee to change position. . Where employees are seated the chairs or stools must be chosen properly. Proper adjustable lumbar support must be provided. . Static seated postures with bending or reaching should be avoided. 17.9 SUMMARY To review safe lifting, the legs should be used and not the back. To pick up a load stand close to the load, bend the knees while maintaining the backs natural curve. Grip the load ﬁrmly and push the body and load up slowly and smoothly with the legs. To put down a load do not twist the body. Bend the knees to lower the load and place the load on the edge of a surface, then slide it back. At times two persons will be needed to lift. Put one person in charge to say when to lift. Both individuals should lift at the same time while keeping the load level and unload at the same time (Figure 17.4). Lifting bulky loads FIGURE 17.4 Two person lifts reduce the strain of a single person lift. (Courtesy of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.) ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.