Back Safety
It is very important to protect the back from injury. Common injuries often come from lifting heavy loads, twisting, reaching, bending, and sitting for long periods of time. Employees must receive appropriate back safety training to ensure they know how to lift properly and maintain good posture to prevent injuries.
Back Statistics:
- Back injuries account for nearly 20% of all injuries in the workplace
- 8 out of 10 Americans will suffer a back injury at some point in their life
- Back injuries account for 93 million lost work days each year
- Worker’s compensation costs of up to $20 billion each year
- Back injuries increase with age, fitness level and weight
Five Leading Back Injury Risk Factors:
- Poor posture
- Poor physical condition
- Poor body mechanics
- Incorrect lifting
- Jobs that requireh high injury
Useful Links
NIOSH Manual Material Handling