Simple Tips to Avoid Getting Hurt at Work: PART 1

Nobody likes to get hurt…period!  But getting hurt at work often adds another layer of stress to an already stressful situation. 

Being in pain is already bad enough, but not being able to do your regular work, perform the tasks you need to do at home, and not being able to take part in your favorite recreational activities can be frustrating. 
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Not to mention the financial impact of being off work or on light duty for an extended time and the added stress of navigating a worker’s compensation claim, only to get a portion of your regular wages covered.

I have seen thousands of patients deal with work related injuries over the years, and as much as it might sound “nice” to have a break from work, it is not as much fun as you might think.  When it comes down to it it’s very stressful and most people wish they could have avoided the injury in the first place.  

The good news is…MOST WORKPLACE INJURIES CAN BE PREVENTED!

The most common workplace injuries are sprains and strains from improper lifting, poor work positioning and poor postural habits.  Most of the injured workers I have treated simply didn’t know there was any other way to get the job done than the way they’ve always done it.  They just didn’t have the proper education and training that could have prevented their injury.  

I’m going to share several very SIMPLE tips that I teach my patients, to help you avoid many of the most common work injuries we see…and all the stress that comes with it.

I can’t cover all the tips in one BLOG, so look for PART 2 next week for even more tips!

TIP #1 - USE PROPER BODY MECHANICS
Proper Body Mechanics is basically moving and using your body in the most efficient way possible, which reduces fatigue, minimizes end of day soreness, limits the effects of repetitive or cumulative trauma to your joints and muscles…and reduces your risk of injury. 

Just follow these 3 basic rules of body mechanics:

• Get and stay close to the object you are lifting or moving!
• Keep your back straight…meaning don’t bend or twist while lifting!
• Use your legs to lift or move the object…not your back!

As simple as this sounds, you would be shocked at how many people think they are following these rules, but most people are getting one or more of these wrong and still end up get hurt. 

This is why proper training is so important!   

TIP #2 - KNOW YOUR LIMITS
We all have limitations in what we can do physically, but more importantly we have limits in what we can do SAFELY.  If something is too heavy or awkward to lift or move by yourself, you may need to get a little creative.

• Find a piece of equipment that can make the job easier (i.e., a hand truck or cart).
• Divide a heavy box or bag into smaller loads and make 2 or 3 trips if needed, instead of trying to do it all at once.
• Recruit another person to help you.

 
TIP # 3 - DON’T RUSH
A high percentage of work injuries happen when people are rushing to complete a task.  When people are rushing or more fatigued, proper body mechanics often goes right out the window. 

Taking a few extra minutes to finish a task is actually faster, especially when you consider the 6-8 weeks it takes for most sprain or strain injuries to heal…or longer for more serious injuries!
 
TIP #4 – ASK YOUR EMPLOYER FOR MORE EDUCATION & TRAINING
There are some great employers out there that provide their employees with injury prevention education and training, but many don’t.  Most employers don’t recognize the value of this type of training until they have felt the $$$ impact a work injury can have on their business.

According to the National Safety Council the average cost for a single worker’s compensation claim is $42,008, adding up to billions every year.  Just one injury can cost an employer thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums, time loss, loss of worker productivity, added hiring and training costs, and in many cases OSHA fines.

Injury prevention education and training programs help reduce the risk of workplace injuries and can also improve the overall health and morale of employees.   

If you work for a company (big or small) that is interested in offering injury prevention education and training to their employees, we offer a comprehensive Workplace Safety & Injury Prevention Training program that can be tailored to the specific needs and challenges of each industry and their workforce. 

Contact us at 503-744-0046 for more information. 
 
I’ll be sharing more helpful tips in PART 2 of this BLOG next week, so stay tuned!