Material Handling
Cummins Southern Plains, Ltd.
Material Handling
Back Statistics
Principles of Ergonomics
Back Injury
Lifting Equipment
Proper Lift
Carrying the Load
Back Statistics
80% of Americans will have a back injury that
requires medical attention
Back injuries are the second most common
cause of lost work time, next to the common
cold
Back injuries occur more often at home than
they do at work
Injured backs are often subject to reinjury
In addition to missed work, there may be
a lifetime of pain
Principles of Ergonomics
Avoid static loads and fixed postures
Provide support for limbs
Avoid high forces and lifting
Avoid highly repetitive tasks
Accommodate a variety of sizes and people
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Design for the extremes
Design for the average
Design with adjustability
Back Parts
Vertebrae
Spinal cord
Disks
Muscles, ligaments, tendons
Back Posture
Maintain the back’s natural curves
Standing
Sitting
Sleeping
Changing posture and stretching
Adaptive posture
Recognize the 5 Leading Back Injury
Risk Factors!
1.Poor posture
2.Poor physical condition
3.Improper body mechanics
4.Incorrect lifting
5.Jobs that require high energy
Potential Back Injury
Strain or sprain
Bulging disk
Herniated disk
Back injuries
are rarely the
result of a one
time incident!!!
Causes of Injury
Years of abuse
Poor posture
Unconditioned back
Excess weight and potbellies
Bad lifting techniques
WHAT CAUSES MANUAL
HANDLING INJURIES?
Weight is not the only problem when it comes
to handling loads. There are many other
factors that can contribute to injury, such as:
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bending, stretching or twisting to reach loads, eg.
pulling items out from under a work bench, or
pulling steel bars from a high storage rack
handling large and awkward loads, eg. batteries
carrying loads over long distances or for long
periods of time
carrying loads in an area where floor surfaces are
cluttered, uneven or slippery
Incident Example
An apprentice
maintenance worker
injured his lower
back while lifting a
20-liter paint tin.
This included lifting
and carrying 20-liter
tin of paint
approximately 30-40
meters.
Understanding Your Back as A lever
• Let’s demonstrate your
back as a lever. With the
fulcrum in the center of
the lever, how many
pounds would it take to
lift a ten pound object?
A. 5 pounds
B. 10 pounds
C. 15 pounds
Ergonomics
• Will it take more or less force to lift the same 10 pound
object with the fulcrum shifted to the side furthest from
the object?
LESS
MORE
Ergonomics
• When you add in the
105 pounds of the
average human upper
torso, you see that
lifting a ten pound
object actually puts
1,150 pounds of
pressure on the lower
back.
Ergonomics
• If you were 25 pounds
overweight, it would
add an additional 250
pounds of pressure on
your back every time
you bend over.
Given these figures, it is easy to see how repetitive lifting and bending
can quickly cause back problems. Even leaning forward while sitting at
a desk or table can eventually cause damage and pain.
Lifting Equipment
Powered equipment such as forklifts,
powered carts, and electric pallet jacks
Handtrucks, carts, pallet jacks
Cranes and hoists
Back belts?
Proper Lift
Stand close with a shoulder-width
stance
Squat by bending your knees and hips
Pull the load close and grip it
Tighten your stomach, lift your head
Rise up with your legs
How to Prevent Back Injuries
• Place objects up off the
floor. Set items down on a
table or other elevated
surface so you won't have
to reach down to pick it up
again.
The best zone for lifting is between your
shoulders and your waist.
Follow these steps when lifting:
• 1. Take a balanced stance with
your feet about a shoulderwidth apart. One foot can be
behind the object and the other
next to it.
• 2. Squat down to lift the
object, but keep your heels off
the floor. Get as close to the
object as you can.
Follow these steps when lifting
• 3. Use your palms (not just your fingers)
to get a secure grip on the load. Make
sure you'll be able to maintain a hold on
the object without switching your grip
later.
•
4. Lift gradually (without jerking)
using your leg, abdominal and buttock
muscles and keeping the load as close to
you as possible. Keep your chin tucked
in so as to keep a relatively straight
back and neck line.
Follow these steps when lifting
• 5. Once you're standing,
change directions by
pointing your feet in the
direction you want to go
and turning your whole
body. Avoid twisting at
your waist while carrying
a load.
• 6. When you put a load
down, use these same
guidelines in reverse.
Also follow these lifting tips:
• Feet First
• Create a bridge
Carrying the Load
Make sure you can see
Take small, stable steps
Do not twist your back
Taking Shortcuts
Potential Hazard:
Employees tend to
reach across the
pallet with a load in
the hand rather than
walk around a pallet.
This prevents
keeping the load
close to the body
and adds significant
stress to the
shoulders and upper
back.
Unexpected Exertions
Unexpected exertions can happen
when:
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A box weighs more than expected.
The box falls apart, creating the need to perform
quick and unexpected actions to save the load.
Boxes stick together and additional force is needed
to separate the boxes.
Poor footing or slippage causes the load to be
supported in an unexpected or awkward posture.
Quick motions occur while holding the load.
Lifting While Holding
Paperwork in One Hand.
Placing Boxes on Pallets
Potential Hazards:
Employees repeatedly
bend forward at the waist
to place boxes on the
lowest level of pallets.
The heaviest units are
placed on the bottom
layer for stability. This
work process requires
employees to lift the
heaviest loads using the
worst body postures.
Do’s
and
Don’ts
QUESTIONS?