Title: Body Mechanics and Safe Lifting Techniques

Educational Objectives

1. Identify ergonomic risk factors that increase the risk for injury.
2. Learn how to modify your work style and work environment to reduce injury risk.
3. Learn stretching techniques that will minimize the likelihood of injury and/or control pre-existing discomfort.

Primary Message

Back injury is seldom caused by a single traumatic event. As the workforce ages, the risk for injury increases and the need to minimize injury risk factors becomes more critical.

Key Points

• Low back injuries result from a variety of risk factors including sudden, unexpected effort, bending, extended reaching, pushing, pulling, and static positioning.

• As the body ages, normal postural and spinal changes provide useful strategies in minimizing the likelihood of low back injury.

• By understanding what “high risk work zones” are, you will be able to reorganize your workspace to significantly reduce injury risk.

• “Rest elements” help reduce muscular fatigue and can easily be incorporated into the workday.

• Use of “good body mechanics” is not always possible, but knowing when and how to “break the rules” can mean the difference between safety and injury.

Key Advice

It will not be possible to eliminate every risk factor in the workplace. However, by making just a few key changes in the work area and/or work procedure, the likelihood of injury can be significantly reduced.

Employee Materials Included