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Back Injury Prevention Strategies

Learn about factors contributing to back injuries, such as aging and trauma, and discover preventive measures. This presentation covers nutrition, posture, and lifting techniques to avoid back injuries.

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Back Injury Prevention Strategies

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Back Injury Prevention

  2. Learning Objectives • The objectives of this presentation are: • Recognize contributing factors of back injury • Identify strategies to reduce injury

  3. Agenda • Agenda: • Factors contributing to back injury • Discuss back injury prevention

  4. Section 1 Factors that Contribute to Back Injury

  5. Contributing Factors • Contributing factors: • Many are lifestyle related • Some are hereditary or disease related • Significant factors are: • Aging • Nutrition • Posture • Trauma • General fitness

  6. Facts About Back Injuries • A few quick facts: • Over one million workers suffer back injury yearly • Accounts for 25% of all workers’ compensation expenditures • Seldom caused by one factor • Tend to be recurrent • Prevention requires a comprehensive approach

  7. Cost of Back Injuries • Cost of back injuries: • One in eight Americans experience back injury • Work-related injuries are the number one occupational hazard • Total annual costs of disabilities: • $30 - $60 billion • 100 million lost days of work • More than 250,000 Americans paralyzed

  8. Aging • Effects of normal aging: • Osteoporosis • Decreased elasticity, muscle, and ligament strength • This can be slowed by: • Regular exercise • Proper object lifting and moving • Proper nutrition • Avoidance of smoking

  9. Nutrition • Nutrition: • Calcium adds strength and stiffness to bones • Magnesium helps calcium absorption • Vitamin D through supplements or the sun • Balance is key

  10. Posture • Posture: • Bad posture can promote back injury • Stand straight, chin up with shoulders back • Sitting improperly can cause back pain

  11. Trauma • Trauma: • Trauma is a forcible impact to the body • Degree of damage may relate to other factors • Major causes of trauma include • Whiplash and impacts • Heavy lifting • Slips, trips, and falls

  12. Whiplash • Whiplash: • Caused by violent head movement in relation to the neck or lower spine • Usually arises from a sudden forcible bending of the neck

  13. Heavy, Repetitive, or Awkward Lifting • Heavy, repetitive, or awkward lifting: • Many companies limit amount people can lift • NIOSH’s Lifting Equation RWL = LC x HM x VM x DM x AM x FM x CM • Proper lifting requires training, practice, and attention to detail

  14. Impact • Trauma to the back can be caused by impacts: • Being struck by a moving object • Moving into a fixed object

  15. Slips, Trips, Falls • Many back injuries result from slips, trips, or falls: • About 300 fatal falls occur in U.S. workplaces yearly • Factors such as bone density contribute to injury

  16. General Fitness • General fitness: • Physical fitness is an important prevention factor • Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer in the U.S.

  17. Section 2 Back Injury Prevention

  18. Back Injury Prevention • Preventing back injury: • A comprehensive strategy • Involves lifestyle and work environment

  19. Lifestyle Issues • Issues that contribute to back injury: • Nutrition • Alcohol • Caffeine • Smoking • Physical fitness

  20. Nutrition • Factors increasing risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and intestinal disorders: • High in animal and unhealthy fats • Low in fiber • High in processed foods • Low in complex carbohydrates • Low in plant-based foods

  21. Alcohol • Excessive alcohol intake: • Interferes with calcium absorption • Results in decreased bone strength • Has other adverse health effects

  22. Caffeine • Studies have shown that: • Women 65–77 drinking 300 mg daily show more bone loss • 2-3 cups can raise blood pressure about 10 points • Adults should have no more than: • Three 6 ounce cups of coffee • Four cups of regular tea • Six 12 ounce colas

  23. Smoking • Smoking cessation: • Trained personnel at the National Cancer Institute’s toll-free Cancer Information Service can help you at 1-800-4-CANCER • The American Cancer Society is also reachable at (404) 320-3333

  24. Physical Fitness • It’s never too late to start: • Find help at: • www.fitness.gov • Start slow, pay attention to your body, and stick with it

  25. Risk Factors in the Workplace • Some contributors to back injury include: • Reaching, twisting, or bending while lifting • Heavy or repetitive lifting of awkward items • Poor job design or lifting with forceful movement • Poor posture and/or physical condition • Fatigue and bad footing

  26. Section 3 Lifting

  27. Lifting Aids • If feasible, eliminate manual lifting: • Mechanical assists • Adjust height of surfaces • Eliminate unnecessary bending or twisting

  28. Manual Lifting • Never hesitate to ask for help with: • Excessive weight • Limited visibility • Changes in elevation • Twisting and turning

  29. Okay, So It’s Up to You Now • Lift using proper technique: • Plan the lift, the route, and size up the load • Squat, feet apart, don’t bend at waist • Get a firm grip and use legs • Keep your head up and maintain clear vision • When you arrive, lower slowly by squatting

  30. How Does This Look? • Repetitive lifting using poor technique can lead to back injury

  31. How About Back Belts? • Back belts: • Not recognized by OSHA as engineering controls • Effectiveness not proven

  32. Sitting at Workstations • Reduce muscle and skeletal system stress: • Adjust seat so thighs are nearly horizontal • Rest feet flat and comfortably • Angle between upper and lower legs is 60-100° • Angle between seat pan and back 90-100° • Use chair with curvature for back support

  33. Adjusting the Workstation • Adjusting the workstation: • Keep your elbows close to sides • Maintain 90° angle between upper and lower arm • Hold the wrist and forearm in straight line • Keep head up with monitor 18-25 inches from eyes • Line of sight to monitor 0-60° below horizon

  34. Driving • Rules for extended driving: • Sit upright with knees higher than hips • Adjust mirrors for neck comfort • Reset seat back position occasionally • Use support behind lower back for comfort • Keep pedals within easy reach

  35. Exercises • Spinal exercises: • Helps prevent spinal problems • Spines require good nutrition, stress management, and exercise • Make spine stronger and more resistant to injury

  36. Additional Information • Back Injuries – Nation’s Number One Workplace Safety Problem. OSHA Fact Sheet No. OSHA 93-09. • OSHA e-Tools for various industries, available at www.osha.gov • Applications Manual for the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation. National Technical Information Service (NTIS) at (800) 553-6847 order number PB94-176930LJM.

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