Keeping safety top-of-mind for employees is essential to their health and well-being. They appreciate helping them learn workplace safety and fewer on-the-job injuries means increased productivity and savings.

At R.E. Michel we routinely internally communicate safety tips. We share them here for our customers interested in keeping their employees safe and productive.

Preventing back injury

Preventing a back injury is much easier than repairing one. Because your back is critically important to your ability to walk, sit, stand, and run, it's important to take care of it.

Most back pain arises from using your back improperly, so learning a few basic rules about lifting can help keep your back in good shape.  Medical experts say that back injuries have little to do with the weight of the lifted objects and everything to do with how they are lifted. Using the proper lifting techniques:

1. Place feet close to object to be lifted. Adopt a balanced position, one foot beside the load pointing in the direction of travel, the other behind the load.
   
   

2. Bend knees to comfortable degree and get a good handhold. Maintain normal spinal curves. Tighten stomach muscles. Commence to lift the load keeping it close to the body.
   
   

3. Lift the load using leg muscles and allow the load to rest in fully extended arms.
   
   

4. Setting the load down is just as important as picking it up. Using leg muscles lower the load by bending your knees. When the load is securely positioned release your grip.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of the pain and suffering borne by employees.