Success Rides on Employees' Backs—So Take Care of Those Backs!

While it’s easy to take precautionary measures to prevent back injuries, it’s much harder to treat and resolve back problems. Below we list the common causes of back injuries in metalforming plants, courtesy of health and wellness company Concentra, Addison, TX, as well as prevention tips.

Six leading causes of back injury:

• Traumatic events

• Poor posture

• Poor physical condition

• Improper body mechanics

• Lifting awkward objects

• Assuming awkward positions

Safe lifting techniques and body mechanics:

• Plan your lift mentally before you do it physically.

• Test the object’s weight before lifting it. If you will need to carry the object any distance, check that you have a clear walking path.

• Ask for assistance from a coworker when appropriate.

• Use the stronger leg muscles by bending the knees, not the back.

• Support the back by maintaining core strength with the abdominal muscles.

• Maintain a neutral lumbar spinal curve.

• Keep the object close to the body.

• Avoid twisting and bending.

• Avoid rapid, jerky movements.

• Maintain good balance by keeping the feet apart approximately shoulder width.