Guidelines for Safe Lifting: Protect Your Spine While Lifting Safely

1. Guidelines for Safe Lifting

2. Guidelines for Safe LiftingThe Spine’s Basic Functions • Provides support • Protects the spinal cord • Provides flexibility for bending and rotating

3. Guidelines for Safe LiftingDevelop A Neutral Spine • Neutral Spine: • When the ……. • Cervical (neck); • Thoracic (middle); and • Lumbar (lower) curves are present and in good alignment

4. Guidelines for Safe LiftingDevelop A Neutral Spine • Keep your spinal column aligned in its natural curves • Prop one foot up on a stool to reduce stress in your lower back

5. Guidelines for Safe LiftingDevelop A Neutral Spine http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/PatientEd/Materials/PDFDocs/employee/back-hea.pdf

6. Guidelines for Safe LiftingGetting Ready • Make sure you are ready for lifting • Avoid heavy lifts immediately upon starting work

7. Guidelines for Safe LiftingGetting Ready • Shift your posture often • Stretch frequently throughout the day • Keep your body flexible (not rigid or fixed) • Don’t force your body to conform to its workspace

8. Guidelines for Safe LiftingPlan for Lifting Will a back belt work for you?

9. Guidelines for Safe LiftingPlan for Lifting • Checkout your carrying route • Check the weight of the load • Make sure your load is secure so no shifting occurs • Wear appropriate boots or shoes for good traction • If gloves are worn, choose a size that fits properly

10. Guidelines for Safe LiftingPlan for Lifting • Can you eliminate heavy lifting with moving equipment? • Could the load overly stress your upper body? • Would lifting and carrying be too fatiguing?

11. Guidelines for Safe LiftingPlan for Lifting Use proper equipment • Hand trucks • Forklifts • Dollies Push, don’t pull!

12. Guidelines for Safe LiftingPlan for Lifting Above your shoulders? • Use a stool or ladder

13. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSafe Lifting Techniques Keep the lifts in the power (safe lifting) zoneif possible.

14. Safe Lifting Techniques • Take a wide stance • Tighten your stomach muscles • Use smooth, even motions when lifting

15. Safe Lifting Techniques • Keep load close to your body • Use your legs to push up and lift the load • Do not use your upper body or back to lift!

16. Safe Lifting Techniques • Continue to lift the • load close to your • body and straighten • your legs.

17. Safe Lifting • Techniques • Stand up straight before walking with the load • Move your feet instead of twisting your body

18. Safe Lifting Techniques • Lower the load to the ground by bending your knees, not your back • Keep the load close to your body • Never bend your upper body or back • Keep your hands and feet clear

19. Guidelines for Safe LiftingTeam Lifting Team lifting MUST be coordinated

20. Guidelines for Safe LiftingTeam Lifting • Communicate to your co-worker that you are ready • Get close to the object • Lift slowly together • Use your legs to lift • Do not twist

21. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSummary • Warm-up muscles before lifting • Check weight of load • Keep lifts in your Power Zone • Keep your eyes slightly up

22. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSummary Hold close to your body Bend your knees, never your back Lift with your knees

23. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSummary • Never carry anything you can’t see over or around • Team lift when the load is too much for one person

24. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSummary • Do Not • Lift while reaching or stretching • Lift from an uncomfortable posture • Fight to recover a dropped object (let it go)!

25. Guidelines for Safe LiftingSummary • Do Not • Twist and lift • Lift with one hand (unbalanced) • Lift loads across obstacles

26. Guidelines For Safe Lifting Treat your back well, it’s the only one you have.