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153 Ergonomic Hazards in General Industry
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153 Ergonomic Hazards in General Industry

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.

worker kneeling and bent doing work at floor level
Jobs that require poor posture are common.

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.

Listed below are some specific postures and examples of tasks 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. Examples: Painting and playing the drums.
  • Bending the hand toward the little finger regularly greater than 20 degrees increases the risk of pain and other issues. Examples: Lifting boxes and working with heavy tools like hammers.
  • 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. Example: Lifting objects over the head.
  • Hands working at or above shoulder level can result in increased risk of tendinitis and various shoulder problems. Example: Cleaning the top surfaces on machinery.
  • The greater the angle of the neck moves forward, backward or side to side, the more quickly neck and shoulder pain results. Example: Sports, holding phone with shoulder.
  • Bending at the lower back while working increases the likelihood of low back disorders. Examples: Laying carpet and cleaning furniture.

Check out this short audio clip by Dan Clark of theSafetyBrief.com that gives 6 tips for good posture on worksites.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

1-5. When does twisting greatly amplify the forces on the lower back during a lift?

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