Lifting and Moving Material
The weight and bulkiness of objects lifted are major contributing factors to injuries. Workers also frequently cite body movement as contributing to their injuries. Bending, twisting, and turning are the more commonly cited movements that cause back injuries.
Work Safely - Lifting in the warehouse
Below are some statistics based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- Strains and sprains result from lifting improperly or from carrying loads that are either too large or too heavy. Sprains and strains account for over 40% of injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work.
- Back injuries occur when workers lift heavy or bulky objects, lift improperly, carry excessive loads, or push/pull awkwardly. Back injuries account for over 20% non-fatal occupational injuries involving days away from work.
- Hands, arms, and feet are also vulnerable to injury during manual handling of materials.
- Overexertion cases with lost workdays account for over 25% of all lost-workday cases. Most of those cases were due to lifting. Pushing/pulling and carrying also result in large numbers of overexertion injuries.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-2. Which of the following are two major factors contributing to injuries when lifting objects?
You forgot to answer the question!