Lifting Hazards and Some Ideas on How to Reduce Your Risk of Lifting Injury Lotsa pounds By the end of this lesson you will be able to: • Identify the types of lifting that may cause injuries • Identify the ergonomics principles used in reducing lifting hazards and preventing injuries Lifting Injuries Aren’t Just Back Injuries Lifting results in: 30% of Shoulder WMSDs 43% of Back WMSDs 22% of Elbow WMSDs 13% of Hand/Wrist WMSDs WMSD = Work Related Muscular Skeletal Disorder Lifting Injuries Aren’t Just Due to Aging “Overexertion in lifting a heavy object is the most frequent single type of injury for those under 18 resulting in lost work-time.” Source: American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE,) Pay special attention to… Heavy lifting Frequent lifting Awkward lifting Heavy Lifting This job is adding bags of dry ingredients to a hopper in a manufacturing plant. Frequent Lifting This job is palletizing bins of small parts in a warehouse. Awkward Lifting • Above the shoulders • Below the knees • At arms’ length This job is lifting 50-pound bags in a manufacturing plant Calculator for analyzing lifting operations The use of the following 6 steps will assist you in determining a safe working weight . We will use factors based on, starting position, repetition, and duration of the task to calculate the maximum weight that may be lifted safely. The purpose of this calculator is to identify the lifting limit and ensure your starting weight does not exceed the lifting limit. Step 1 Enter the weight of the object lifted. ___________lbs. (We will use the starting weight in step 1 to compare with our answer in step 5) Example – 45 lbs. The above information can be gotten from the following web site http://ebookbrowse.com/calculator-for-analyzing-lifting-operations-pdf-d314819091 Calculator for analyzing lifting operations Step 2 Select from the chart on the left, the weight that represents the position your hands will be in when you begin to lift or lower the objects, i.e. above your head, below your knees , close/away from your body etc. Example - 50 Calculator for analyzing lifting operations Step 3 Select the number that corresponds to the times the person lifts per minute and the total number of hours per day spent lifting. How many lifts per minute 1 lift every 2-5 min 1 lift every min 2-3 lifts every min 4-5 lifts every min 6-7 lifts every min 8-9 lifts every min 10+ lifts every min How many hours per day Under 1 hour 1 hr to 2 hrs 2 hrs or more 1 0.95 0.85 0.95 0.9 0.75 0.9 0.85 0.65 0.85 0.7 0.45 0.75 0.5 0.25 0.6 0.35 0.15 0.3 0.2 0 Example – 2-3 lifts every min for 1-2 hours = .85 Calculator for analyzing lifting operations Step 4 If your job involves twisting 45 degrees or more Select 0.85. Otherwise select 1.0 Example – Our job involves twisting 45 degrees or more = .85 Calculator for analyzing lifting operations Step 5 Using the numbers in the examples we get, 50 x .85 x .85 = 36lbs. Calculator for analyzing lifting operations Step 6 In our example, we started out with a weight of 45 lbs. However, our calculations indicated that 36 lbs. was the maximum safe lifting limit we should use. Lifting the initial 45 lbs. could result in an WMSD (Work Related Muscular Skeletal Disorder.) Principles for reducing heavy lifting • Reduce the weight • Use mechanical assistance • Slide instead of lift • Team lifting Reducing heavy lifting Reduce the weight of the load (plastic pallets) This example shows using lightweight plastic pallets, which weigh anywhere from 13 to 30 pounds for a standard 40” x 48” unit (the one in the picture is about 20 pounds). The traditional wooden 40” x 48” pallets weigh approximately 60 pounds. Reducing heavy lifting Slide instead of lift This example is moving heavy duty batteries from one pallet to another . Large batteries can weigh up to 110 pounds (this one weighs about 75 pounds). By taking the time to set another pallet at the same height as the shelf or battery to be moved, it can be slid rather than lifted. Reducing heavy lifting Team lifting Team lifting works better on larger objects, such as the wallboard shown here. Principles for reducing frequent lifting • Use mechanical assistance • Avoid unnecessary lifting • Use mobile storage Reducing frequent lifting Use mobile storage The example above is a mobile rack that can hold heavy boxes which require movement from one place to another Principles for reducing duration of lifting • Rotate to other jobs • Use mechanical assistance Reducing duration of lifting Rotate job tasks, i.e. lifting to nonlifting tasks Principles for reducing awkward lifting - reaching - • • • • • • Remove obstacles Slide items closer Reduce shelf depth Reduce package size Use mechanical assistance Team lifting Along with object weight, lifting frequency and duration, the distance between the hands and the low back when lifting is one of the main factors in determining whether a lift is a hazard or not. The longer the reach of a required lift an object, the more of a load it places on the low back and the greater the risk of injury. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Remove obstacles This shows lifting in and out of a bin with the side flipped down. Bins with flip-down sides can reduce the reach in many cases, although there may still be some awkward lifting. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Slide objects closer This example shows an employee, using an inexpensive, metal hook, made in-house, to pull a box close to the edge of the shelf before lifting it. This works well for lighter items. Heavier items would need to be stored lower and slid closer using both hands. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Reduce package size The drawings show the difference between lifting a large box with many items in it versus lifting a smaller box with fewer items in it. Not only will this reduce the weight, but it will also reduce the reach necessary to pick up the box. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Team lifting Team lifting can help to reduce the effort required to pick up a large object. Remember, it’s not as effective as a piece of lifting equipment. Principles for reducing awkward lifting - bending - • Use mechanical assistance to raise the load • Add handles • Arrange storage • Avoid unnecessary lifting Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Use mechanical assistance to raise the load Workers can bring objects up to a better height for lifting. The best use is to place the cart at the same height as the shelf or table in which the object is being transferred to or from, and then slide it over rather than lifting. Carts with rollers or roller balls also help make the sliding transfer easier. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Add handles This shows the difference in lifting posture between picking up a box from the bottom, and picking it up using handles near the top of the box. In this case, this product is shipped in a box with pre-cut handles. There’s still some bending, but the box is now lifted from above the knees, rather than below them. There are a couple of other good ideas in this photo as well. The box has been stacked on an empty pallet to raise it up a little (sometimes even raising something just 6” can make a difference in posture). Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Rearrange storage The example shown is where they took a stack of heavy items and rearranged them to be placed on shelves between knee and shoulder level. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Avoid unnecessary lifting This is an example of a commercial product designed to allow mechanics to hang wheels off the sides of the lift when working on brakes, hubs, etc. This places the wheels at a better height for lifting, instead of dropping the wheels to the ground. The hanger folds flat against the lift when not in use. Principles for reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - • Arrange storage • Use mechanical assistance • Use a rolling stair or “safety ladder” Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders Arrange storage This shows arranging storage so that larger, heavier and more frequently used boxes are between knee and shoulder height. In this case, the height of the shelf for heavy boxes is just above the height of the cart, so they can be slid instead of lifted. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Use mechanical assistance The device shown is a stacker, which is like a hand truck with a hand-cranked winch to move the platform up and down so that loads can be mechanically raised to the height they are shelved or removed from shelves. Stackers are available with lift heights up to 12 feet. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders Use mechanical assistance This example shows using a forklift to combine a stack of bins, rather than manually stacking the bins over shoulder height. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Use a rolling stair This example is a cart with a stair attached (or a stair with a cart attached). The advantage is that the steps are always there, so no need to find a ladder, and they can set the load down as they go up and down the stairs. Principles for reducing awkward lifting – twisting - • Use conveyors • Provide more space • Arrange storage Reducing awkward lifting – twisting - Use conveyors Conveyors are especially useful when changing directions, to help avoid twisting. This picture shows a gravity conveyor used to unload trucks in a shipping department. It allows the receiver to bring the boxes over to the computer to scan in the information and inventory the contents. The boxes can then be slid directly onto carts to be put away. Lifting only needs to occur twice, once to take the box from the truck and place it on the conveyor, and once to put the box away. Reducing awkward lifting – twisting - Re-arrange storage This example shows raising the height of the racks to provide more room to get at products on the lower racks. Lifting techniques training Teaching lifting techniques to employees – Giving training alone is not effective – Making changes to jobs and equipment is better – Making changes along with training is most effective Training all by itself, without making changes to the workplace, is often not effective in preventing injuries. Often employees are taught “proper lifting techniques” and then sent out to work under conditions that don’t allow them to use these techniques. Training is an important part of implementing changes. Showing employees how to use new equipment and explaining why it’s important to use them helps reduce the possibility of WMSD’s Lifting techniques training • Job-specific, on-site, handson training is more effective than classroom • Have employees demonstrate proper lifting techniques before “graduating” Being trained where they work, using the objects they typically lift and the equipment they use on the job helps employees to relate to what they’re being taught, rather than showing them a generic lifting video. Make sure that employees have learned what you’re trying to teach them by having each one of them demonstrate the lifting techniques properly. Follow-up with them to make sure they are able to use the techniques on the job. QUIZ 1. Using the lifting calculator… can you safely lift an item weighing 45 pounds, at waist to shoulder height (out 7”) for 4 to 5 lifts each minute for 1 to 2 hours in duration and your not twisting more then 45 degrees? a. Yes b. No 2. Job-specific, on-site, hands-on training is more effective than classroom. a. True b. False 3. Name one of the three principles for reducing frequent lifting. ____________________ Summary • You have identified the types of lifting that may cause injuries such as; Heavy lifting, Frequent lifting and Awkward lifting. You also learnt some ergonomics principles used in reducing lifting hazards and preventing injuries such as; Reducing the weight you lift to increasing the weight so that no one will attempt to lift the weight. You also learnt that the use of mechanical assistance can greatly reduce injuries and the use of team lifting works better on larger items. • With the proper use of the lifting techniques you just learnt you can expect to have a productive and safe working environment. • Remember, proper lifting not only affects you but those working around you. QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Using the lifting calculator… can you safely lift an item weighing 45 pounds, at waist to shoulder height (out 7”) for 4 to 5 lifts each minute for 1 to 2 hours in duration and your not twisting more then 45 degrees? b. No…The safe weight limit would be 35 lbs. 1. Job-specific, on-site, hands-on training is more effective than classroom. a. True 3. Name one of the three principles for reducing frequent lifting. 1. Use mechanical assistance 2. Avoid unnecessary lifting 3. Use mobile storage
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