Safe lifting

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Are you getting ready to operate an aerial lift? OSHA recommends a pre-start inspection of the vehicle and lift components.

Are you thinking of introducing exoskeletons into your workplace? They can aid workers in lifting heavy objects and carrying large loads, which reduces the risk of musculoskeletal-related injuries.

Scissor lifts – named for the way the lifting mechanism’s crossed beams raise and lower the work platform – are often used by manufacturing, warehouse and construction workers.

With the holiday season upon us, delivery drivers are likely to see an increase in work. Now is a good time to review safety measures these workers can take to avoid on-the-job injuries.

Is your shoulder stiff after a day at work? Can you rotate your arm? Do you feel as though it’s not operating at full strength?

Severed fingers and toes are injuries commonly associated with using truck liftgates. So are crushed feet.

What’s one way workers can cut their risk of a back injury in half? “Store it off the floor,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says.

Lifting objects or manually handling materials puts workers at risk for back injuries. More than 111,000 such injuries requiring days away from work were recorded in 2017, according to Injury Facts, an online database created by the National Safety Council.

From boxes of paper near the printer to large packages in the mailroom, office settings contain a number of objects – some quite heavy – that require manual lifting. Are you following safe lifting practices?

Are you lifting objects correctly? If not, you could be at risk for an ergonomics-related injury, such as a sprain or strain, back injury, or repetitive-motion injury.