Back Safety Controls

Presented by QBE

Loss Control Services

Back Safety Controls

Ergonomic Controls to Prevent Back Injuries

Hierarchy of Controls• Engineering

• Administrative

• Personal Protective Equipment

Engineering Controls• Most effective

• Reduce or eliminate root causes

• Physically alter the work environment

Most Important Principles• Can lift be eliminated?

• If a person or machine has expended energy to lift an item, it should not be set down until it reaches its final destination

Engineering Controls• Reduce weight of objects

• Change way materials moved

• Reduce container weights and sizes

• Change workstation layout

Engineering Controls• Bring load closer to the body• Raise or lower the origin and destination of

lifts (avoid lifts below knees and above shoulder)

• Reduce the vertical distance of lift• Move origin and destination closer or farther

apart to reduce twisting• Improve object handholds

Administrative Controls• Management directed policies and

practices

• Do not eliminate hazard

• Require employee feedback and close supervision

Administrative Controls• Job rotation• Reduce overtime• Increase recovery periods (more breaks)• Training• Reduce pace of lifting• Stretching or exercise programs• Two-man lift policies• Weight lifting limits

Back Training• Historically the main control for back

injuries

• Why?-Easy

• Largely ineffective

Personal Protective Equipment• Least effective

• Relies on each individual to reduce risk factors

• Gloves- sharp edges, hot cold surfaces

• Proper footwear

Back Belts- NIOSH Study• No differences in rates of injury between

employees who wear back belts

• No differences in rates of injury in facilities where back belts required

• False sense of security

• Weaken back muscles if not worn properly

• Reduce circulation

Traditional Back Injury Controls• Back schools

• Training in proper lifting techniques

• Use of back belts

New Approaches to Back Injury Control

• Employee selection/pre-placement strength testing

• Physical fitness/wellness

• JHA (Job Hazard Analysis)

• Engineering Controls

• Medical management of injured employees/ Transitional Return-to-Work

Prioritization of Controls• Tasks with highest risk factors

• Tasks which impact the most employees

Selection of Controls• Will the control reduce risk factors?• Will the control add other hazards to the process?• Will the control increase or decrease productivity?• Is the control feasible?• Will the control be accepted?• How soon can the control be implemented?• Will the control require special Training?

Selection of Controls

• Hold brainstorming sessions

• Include engineering, maintenance staff, managers, employees

• Contact vendors

• Contact experts

• Contact trade associations

Selection of Controls

• Develop list of alternatives• Rate alternatives according to effectiveness

and cost• Try to find alternatives that also increase

productivity• Use cost benefit analysis or other financial

tools• Determine best solution

Selection of Controls• Mock-up to evaluate control

• Improve control as necessary

• Use mock-up station to train employees

• Bring control to full production

• Anticipate initial resistance

• Do not make final assessment until enough time has past

Evaluation of Controls• Have risk factors been reduced?

• Are there less complaints of fatigue and discomfort?

• Are injury rates reduced?

• Have employees accepted the control?

• Have rates of turnover and absenteeism been reduced?

• Has there been an increase in productivity?

Lift tables• Positions materials at comfortable height

Lift and Tilt Tables• Lift reduces back bending

• Tilt reduces reaching distance

Lift and Swivel Tables• Useful for working with pallets

• Lift reduces back bending

• Swivel reduces reach

Tilt Tables

• Useful for retrieving parts from bins

• Reduces back bending

• Reduces reach

Turntables• Useful to access several sides of object

Load Levelers• Adjust automatically as weight

added/removed

• Eliminates back bending

• Eliminates reach

Pallet Wrappers• Eliminate grasping forces

• Eliminates awkward postures

Pallet Inverters• Useful for material transfers

Pallet Lifters• Useful for pallets

• Reduces back bending

• Reduces reach

• Can move load

Pallet Jacks• Ideal for moving pallets

• Reduces risk factors associated with moving objects

Lift Carts• Allows objects to be moved easily

• Reduces back bending

Lift and Tilt Carts• Reduced back bending

• Reduces reach

Tilt Carts

• Useful for small parts transported in bins

• Reduces reach

• Reduced back bending

Load Leveler Carts• Portability of a cart

• Adjust automatically as weight added/removed

Conveyors

• Allow objects to be moved pushing/pulling

• Can be powered

Articulating Arms• Support weight while load is

manipulated

• Numerous arm end-effectors available

Vacuum Lifts• Useful for handling bulky items

• Useful for unloading/loading pallets

Cranes• Eliminates lifting

Cutout Tote Bins

• Allow easy access to bottom of bin

Drop-side Bins

• Allow full access to bottom of bin

Drum Carts• Useful for transporting 55 gallon drums

Drum Handlers• Reduces force and poor posture when

moving drums

Drum Dumpers• Reduces back strain from awkward

postures

Vacuum Cups• Useful for moving loads with smooth

surfaces

• Allow power grip posture

Forklift Attachments

Moving & Storage

Construction Work• Less regimented

• Rarely follow set routine

• Affected by weather, supplies, site conditions, etc.

Construction Controls