Duraclean Journal of Marketing, Management and Technical Topics

Back Pain: Causes and Prevention






The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It provides information on how to avoid creating situations that will cause back pain.


The Place of Back Pain in Our Lives
Back pain is among mankind's earliest and most enduring afflictions. In fact, cave drawings have depicted early sufferers. Today, back pain has become a major workplace issue.

The American Physical Therapy Association reports that back pain is the most common cause of loss of activity among adults under 45 and that more than 80 percent of workers nationwide suffer back pain at some time during their careers.

Everyone is vulnerable to back injury, but certain occupations present added risk. For example:

• Truck drivers, who sit for long periods while being jostled by vibration
• Nurses and healthcare aides, who spend a lot of time bending over bedsides and lifting and moving patients
• Office workers who do a lot of sitting, not always in the best of postures
• Carpet cleaners and water damage restoration technicians where movement of furniture and removal of carpet and pad result in a lot of heavy lifting.

Off the job, back injury can result from numerous everyday activities, including housework, gardening, athletics, bad sleeping posture, and even "couch-potatoing." Expectant mothers find their backs stressed in new ways, too, as do parents lifting babies and toddlers.

Some Good News

Dr. Diane Braza of the Medical College of Wisconsin says that in about 90 percent of back pain cases "the cause is strain or sprain of back muscles, ligaments, or soft tissue," conditions that "generally heal completely." But Braza also cautions that back problems often recur if effective prevention strategies aren't used.

It's good news that most bad backs respond well to rest and conservative treatment. And it's even better to hear that if your workers take proper precautions they can prevent most back injuries as well as keep already injured backs from acting up again.

Lifting and Falling
The most important prevention strategy for back pain is making sure your employees know and practice safe lifting techniques:

• Bend at the knees with feet about 20 inches apart and one slightly ahead of the other.
• Grasp the load firmly before attempting the lift, keeping it close to the body.
• Lift gradually, with your legs, not your back.
• Reverse the steps to put the load down.

Falls are another cause of serious back injuries, so it's important for your workers to be cautious in the use of stairs and ladders, prompt in cleaning up spills, and meticulous in keeping tripping hazards off walkways.

General Conditioning
Recent studies have indicated that another major factor in avoiding back injury is general conditioning. This includes:

• Maintaining proper posture, without slouching, rounding the shoulders, or accentuating the natural curves of the spine. (Proper sleeping posture is also important, using a mattress that is firm but not too hard, on your side or back, not your stomach.)
• Following a healthful diet to avoid gaining weight, which puts added stress on your lower back, especially if you have a "pot belly."
• Exercising regularly, especially with such aerobic activity as walking, bicycling, or swimming.
  

Studies also indicate that smoking can contribute to back pain and injury so it's another reason to encourage your workers to quit smoking!

Labels: employees, Safety Compliance, Safety Management, Training

Don't Short Circuit Electrical Safety Training



Over half of workplace deaths resulting from electrocution are caused by defective electrical equipment and failure on the part of employees to follow safe work procedures. Electrical safety training can prevent both types of accidents. This article is from BLR's "Safety Daily Advisor" series (www.safety.blr.com).


Two Types of Employees

OSHA's electrical safety standard recognizes two types of employees—qualified and unqualified (Safety-Related Work Practices, 29 CFR 1910.331-335).


Qualified employees are those trained to identify live electrical parts, know their voltages, and work with and around them safely. Only qualified workers are allowed to work with exposed, energized electrical equipment.

Training requirements for qualified workers are specified in Section 1910.332 of the standard. Everyone else in your facility is designated as an "unqualified" employee under the standard and is not allowed to perform electrical work.

But because many unqualified workers work with or around electrical equipment, they still need some training in electrical safety. Training for unqualified workers should cover the basics. For example:

• Electrical hazards
• Restricted activities/areas
• Personal protective equipment
  Safe work practices if working with or near electrical equipment
• An overview of lockout/tagout procedures
• Care/use of electrical power tools
• How to report electrical problems or defective or malfunctioning electrical equipment
• First-aid and emergency procedures for electrical accidents

Electrical Safety Do's and Don'ts
All workers should also be trained to follow safe work practices. We've distilled the key issues here into terms of safety do's and don'ts.

Do:

• Use only plugs that fit the outlet.
• Make sure electrical connections are tight.
• Check insulation on cords and wires.
• Use extension cords only when necessary.
• Use waterproof cords outdoors and in damp areas.
• Use only approved extension lamps.
• Keep machines and tools well lubricated.
• Keep the work area clean.
• Leave at least 3 feet of workspace around electrical equipment.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions for use and maintenance.
• Leave electrical repairs to qualified and licensed electricians.
  

Don't:

• Overload outlets or motors.
• Use defective equipment (shut it down, tag it out, and report it).
• Let grease, dirt, or dust build up on machinery.
• Run cords near heat or water.
• Touch anything electric with wet hands.
• Put anything but a plug into an electric outlet.
• Use temporary wiring in place of permanent wiring.
• Use cords or equipment that aren't grounded.
• Wear metal jewelry when handling electrical equipment.

Labels: employees, Safety Compliance, Safety Management, Training