NIOSH offers safety tips for residential construction workers
Washington – A new booklet from NIOSH describes safe work practices to help residential construction workers avoid manual material handling injuries.
Residential construction workers often lift, hold or carry heavy objects, putting them at risk for strains, sprains and soft tissue injuries. To help prevent such injuries, NIOSH recommends the following:
- Avoid jerky movements or twisting your back when picking up objects.
- Use mechanical lifting equipment to eliminate unnecessary manual lifting.
- Place materials close to where they are needed.
- Take short breaks to rest your body.
- Perform muscle-strengthening exercises before work or during breaks.