Risk Factors Inherent in the Task
Twisting: Twisting in the middle of a lift greatly amplifies the forces on the lower back. The point at which twisting is most likely to cause an injury when lifting objects is in the middle of the lift. Material handling and brickwork are good examples of tasks that require twisting.
Posture: Posture is the position of the body while performing work activities. Awkward posture is a deviation from the ideal working posture of arms at the side of the torso, elbows bent, with the wrists straight. Awkward postures typically include reaching behind, twisting, working overhead, kneeling, forward or backward bending, and squatting. If the posture is awkward during work, there is an increased risk for injury. Food processors repeatedly handling products while working on conveyor lines suffer from repetitive motion issues. The more the joint departs from the neutral position, the greater the likelihood of injury.
Listed below are some specific postures that may be associated with increased risk of injury:
- Extending or flexing the wrist, up and down, regularly is associated with a greater risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Bending the hand toward the little finger regularly greater than 20 degrees increases the risk of pain and other issues.
- Raising the arms which flexes the shoulders greater than 60 degrees for more than one hour a day increases the risk of acute neck and shoulder pain.
- Hands working at or above shoulder level can result in increased risk of tendinitis and various shoulder problems.
- The greater the angle of the neck as it moves forward, backward or side to side, the more quickly neck and shoulder pain results.
- Bending at the lower back while working increases the likelihood of low back disorders.
Check out this short audio clip by Dan Clark of theSafetyBrief.com that gives 6 tips for good posture on worksites.
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1-5. When does twisting greatly amplify the forces on the lower back during a lift?
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