From date of hire we have been told to avoid back injury by bending our knees when we lift, keeping the load close and avoid twisting motions. These safety rules may be appropriate for simple, straight lifting of materials, but what about back care when working in awkward positions? Work tasks that require reaching or stretching away from the body while handling materials can also put excessive strain on the vertebral discs and soft tissues in the back.
An awkward position is a work posture that distorts (twists) the spine from its natural curves, puts unbalanced pressure on the discs, and can strain arm, leg, or back tissues if held for any length of time.
These are some work situations that may place you in "awkward" positions:
- Jobs that require bending and reaching into bins or containers to retrieve or to place material, such as coolers or freezers.
- Working overhead, such as installing light bulbs, cleaning ceilings or light fixtures.
- Floor level jobs such as servicing equipment, or placing materials into, such as deep fat fryers, reach-in refrigerators.
- Work tasks in confined or small areas where there is a limited range of motion, such as grocery boxes, coolers, freezers and storage closets.
- Jobs requiring step ladder use where you have to over-reach to clean or adjust items, such as making up bunks.
- Pulling loads, instead of pushing them.
- Repetitive tasks requires twisting of the back such as loading/unloading or handling material ninety (90) degrees to one-hundred-eighty (180) degrees from starting point, such as unloading groceries.
How to avoid injury when working in awkward positions:
- Raise bins and containers off the floor and/or tilt them to reduce bending and over-reaching.
- When working overhead, stand on a steady ladder, keeping the back posture in its natural curve to avoid uneven spinal loading.
- If working on the floor, avoid bending over to work, squat down ,placing stress on the leg muscles.
- In confined or small spaces, plan your work, reducing clutter in immediate area, which confines you further and increases the need to twist or over-reach.
- Do not hold an awkward position for too long. Pause, stretch, and straighten your back.
- When leaning forward to work, support the weight of your upper body on your free hand and arm whenever possible. This relieves pressure on the lower back.
- Position yourself as close as possible to the job, avoid over-reaching.
- Never lift heavy loads that are far away from the body’s center of gravity. Get help.
- Position your work below the shoulder and above the knees to minimize over-reaching.
- Push, rather than pull loads to help maintain the spine’s natural curve.
- Remember a back support belt may remind you to lift correctly, but it will not protect the spine if you over-reach or twist with a load.
