Lifting Hazards and some ideas on how to reduce your risk of lifting injury

1. Lifting Hazards and some ideas on how to reduce your risk of lifting injury

2. By the end of this slideshow you will be able to: • Identify the 3 types of lifting that may cause injuries • Review ergonomics principles used in reducing lifting hazards and preventing injuries • Contact L&I resources for assistance

3. Statistics on Lifting Injuries • There are 50,000 WMSDs in Washington every year. • How many of them are due to lifting? 17,000! (34%) Source: SHARP technical report No. 40-6-2002 This means that about 1/3 of WMSDs are attributed to lifting. That makes it one of the largest single sources of injury in Washington workplaces.

4. Lifting Injuries Aren’t Just Back Injuries Lifting results in: 30% of Shoulder WMSDs 22% of Elbow WMSDs 43% of Back WMSDs 13% of Hand/Wrist WMSDs Source: SHARP technical report No. 40-6-2002

5. 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, 2003)

6. Pay special attention to… Heavy lifting Frequent lifting Awkward lifting

7. Heavy Lifting Moving bags of dry ingredients from a pallet to a hopper. The bags weigh anywhere from 50 to 80 pounds.

8. Frequent Lifting Taking totes of small parts off a conveyor and stacking them on pallets He lifts 5 to 6 totes per minute for most of the day

9. Awkward Lifting Lifts that are: • Above the shoulders • Below the knees • At arms’ length Lifting 50-pound bags of wet fiberglass out of a deep shipping tote

10. Analysis tools • L&I Lifting Calculator • Other tools: • ACGIH Lifting TLV • NIOSH Lifting Equation Links to these tools are in the appendix at the end of this slide show

11. Principles for reducing heavy lifting • Reduce the weight • Increase the weight • Use mechanical assistance • Slide instead of lift • Team lifting

12. Reducing heavy lifting Reduce the weight of the load Wood pallet 60 pounds Plastic pallet 20 pounds

13. Reducing heavy lifting Increase the weight of the load And use machines to move it

14. Reducing heavy lifting Use mechanical assistance Pneumatic conveyor

15. Reducing heavy lifting Slide instead of lift

16. Reducing heavy lifting Team lifting

17. Principles for reducing frequent lifting • Use mechanical assistance • Avoid unnecessary lifting • Use mobile storage

18. Reducing frequent lifting Use mechanical assistance… … instead of lifting by hand

19. Reducing frequent lifting Use mobile storage: Parts stay on racks as they move from one manufacturing process to the next

20. Principles for reducing duration of lifting • Rotate to other jobs • Use mechanical assistance

21. Reducing duration of lifting Rotate to non-lifting tasks

22. Principles for reducing awkward lifting - reaching - • Remove obstacles • Slide closer • Reduce shelf depth • Reduce package size • Use mechanical assistance • Team lifting

23. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Remove obstacles Cut-out in side of tote allows easier access

24. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Slide objects closer “Homemade” hook for pulling small boxes to edge of shelf

25. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Reduce shelf depth Flow racks bring boxes to the front of shelves

26. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Reduce package size

27. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Use mechanical assistance Electric hoist can lift two bags at a time

28. Reducing awkward lifting - reaching - Team lifting

29. Principles for reducing awkward lifting- bending - • Use mechanical assistance to raise the load • Add handles • Arrange storage • Avoid unnecessary lifting

30. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Use mechanical assistance to raise the load Scissor-lift cart

31. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Add handles

32. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Rearrange storage Heavy items at waist level

33. Reducing awkward lifting - bending - Avoid unnecessary lifting Tire hanger keeps wheels up off the floor in auto shop

34. Principles for reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - • Arrange storage • Use mechanical assistance • Use a rolling stair or “safety ladder”

35. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Arrange storage

36. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Use mechanical assistance “Stacker” lift device has hand winch to raise and lower platform

37. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Use mechanical assistance Combining 2 half-height stacks instead of lifting overhead

38. Reducing awkward lifting – reaching above shoulders - Use a rolling stair

39. Principles for reducing awkward lifting – twisting - • Use conveyors • Provide more space • Arrange storage

40. Reducing awkward lifting – twisting - Use conveyors Allows boxes to be unloaded and checked in with minimal lifting

41. Reducing awkward lifting – twisting - Re-arrange storage More space means less bending and twisting

42. How to find ideas Resources: • Your employees • Your suppliers • Your industry association • Industry-specific equipment catalogs • Product vendors • Internet searches

43. http://www.ergoideas.Lni.wa.gov Ergonomics Ideas Bank

44. 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

45. Lifting techniques training • Job-specific, on-site, hands-on training is more effective than classroom • Have employees demonstrate proper lifting techniques before “graduating”

46. If you have questions: E-mail: ergonomics@Lni.wa.gov Web: http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Topics/Ergonomics/ServicesResources/GetHelp/default.asp Phone: (360) 902-5450 Resources

47. Appendix - Links Lifting Calculators ACGIH ® TLV ® for Lifting L&I Lifting Calculator L&I Lifting Analysis paper version NIOSH Lifting Equation calculator NIOSH Lifting Equation user manual L&I Ergonomics Ideas Bank

48. You’re done! Thank you for your time and attention