Aprilia R. Saraswati – Samson Tiara

Improper lifting techniques are a common cause of back pain and back injuries. Once injured, recovery tends to be a long and often expensive process. According to Injury Facts 2015, back injuries accounted for 177,580 of the 905,690 injuries reported in the private sector, with over exertion and cumulative trauma being the biggest factors leading to injury. 20% of all work injuries in warehouses involve problems with the back even though the proper techniques are always clearly instructed.

It is important to remember that a lifting injury can happen at any time, not just at work but also at school, home, or even in public spaces. So please remember to look for any potential hazards when lifting. Asses the weight of the object, test the load by pushing on it lightly with your hands or feet. How easy it moves tells you how heavy it is, so you could decide to lift it manually or with some form of lifting aid. Do not try to carry a big load alone; always ask for help.

Here are some quick tips on how to do manual lifting safely:

Continue reading “Save Your Spine: 8 Tips for Lifting Heavy Loads Safely”

Working at height can be dangerous or, in the worst case, even deadly. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers who are six feet or more above the ground are at high risk for serious injury or death if they fall. Based on a WHO Report in 2016, falls from height are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury & deaths worldwide. The study highlighted that approximately 20% of fall related injuries among construction workers involved a ladder and half of those accidents were due to people carrying items as they climbed.

Many people may not consider ladder safety to be a major issue, but the statistics clearly show that anyone working with a latter should consider the important safety aspects that may save them from injury or death. Ladders come in variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. There are portable wood ladders and metal ladders, also platform ladders, Trestle ladders, and many more. Each type of ladder has its own strengths and weaknesses and thus each may have different risk assessments and safety guidance. However, the most important thing to understand about working with a ladder is when you can use it; which is where the work is light and short, entailing no more than 30 minutes in one position. Continue reading “7 Tips for Working Safely With Ladders”