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Manual Material Handling

Presented by:Insert Name

Safety Management Consultant

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Goals For Today

Overview of ergonomics.

Risk factors associated with Cumulative Trauma Disorders in the manual material handling workplace.

Understand how the back is built and how to protect it.

Preparing for work.

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Ergonomics

Also known as human factors.

To optimize the functioning of a system by adapting it to human capacities and needs.

Fitting the work to the worker - not the worker to the work.

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Definitions

Cumulative Trauma Disorder:

Micro trauma events that eventually lead to an injury.

Occurs over time.

Sometimes difficult to determine cause.

Often unconscious behavior creates the injury.

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Definitions

Risk Factors: Conditions and/or activities associated with the development of CTDs.

Primary Risk Factors:• Awkward prolonged postures• Excessive force• Repetition

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We Are Creatures of Habit

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Occupational Risk Factors

Repetition

Awkward Postures

Excessive Force Mechanical Contact

Stressors

Hand/Arm Segmental Vibration

Cold Work Environments

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Awkward Posture

What happens to grip strength when we change the position of our wrist?

Where is our grip strength the best?

Do other joints have similar characteristics?

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Excessive Force

Force levels can become high both from internal loads (holding a body part in a awkward posture) or from external forces generated by lifting an object.

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Symptoms of CTDs

Aching Swelling Throbbing Burning Numbness Pins and needles Loss of strength Pain Unusual bumps

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Developmental Sequence of the Human Body: Establishing Our Core

When a baby is just few days old they have no trunk stability.

They first gain control of their heads.

Within the first year of life they develop trunk control.

Around one year of age they are able to stand/walk and use their extremities effectively.

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Getting Older: Changes in our Body

Our cardiovascular fitness diminishes

Our core strength weakens

Forward head posture increases

We dehydrate quicker

Flexibility diminishes

The risk of repetitive strain injuries increases

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How Is My Back Built?

Spine has 3 main functions• Flexibility and stability• Spinal cord protection• Shock absorption

Flexibility and Stability• 24 movable bones called

vertebrae• System of levers that

sustain body weight and provide mechanism for force exertion

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Discs

Spinal Disc

• Located between each vertebrae• Cartilage-like material in bands• Cartilage encompasses the core or nucleus

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Disc Injury

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How Are Your Backs?

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Risk Factors

Lifts from floor level should be avoided whenever possible.

• Inefficient

• Encourages poor technique

• Dramatically increases risk of injury

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Risk Factors

Bending from the waist to pick up a pen or piece of paper puts nearly twice as much stress on the back as lifting a 40- pound object using proper technique.

Weight of torso must also be supported during an improper lift.

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Risk Factors

Twisting puts high torque forces on spinal disc

High risk for injury

Core trunk muscles

are inefficient

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Compare Lifts

Biomechanical Predictions about L5/S1:Horizontal Distance of Load: 8.0 inBiomechanical Angle of Trunk: 90°Total Compressive Forces: 560.04 lb

Biomechanical Predictions about L5/S1:Horizontal Distance of Load: 33.0 inBiomechanical Angle of Trunk:17°Total Compressive Forces: 2240.22 lb > MPL*

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NIOSH Lifting Equation

NIOSH Lifting Equation calculates the Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) for a specific lifting or lowering task.

According to the NIOSH equation, it is safe for 99% of the male population and 75% of the female population to safely lift 51 pounds.

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NIOSH Lifting Equation

Horizontal distance <10 inches

Vertical distance = 30 inches

Travel distance < 10 inches

Asymmetry = 0

Coupling is good

Frequency < 1 hour per day and no more than 12 lifts/lowering are performed

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Core Muscles: Trunk Muscles

These muscles are located from our neck to the base of our pelvis.

These muscles provide trunk stability so our extremities can move and work efficiently.

As we age these muscles can weaken and injuries to the shoulders, back and hips can occur.

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Efficient Movement and Stabilization: The value of strong core muscles

Stabilizers

Proper stability provides good and efficient mobility

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Inefficient Movement and Poor Stabilization

Decrease strength.

Increase energy requirements to complete a task.

Make a joint mechanically less efficient.

Increase the risk of injury.

Create imbalance and compensation in the body.

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Poor Posture : Bad Habits and Aging

Poor posture will contribute to trunk instability.

Forward head and curved upper back will encourage poor shoulder biomechanics.

Forward head posture and curved upper back will flatten the lumbar curve making the lumbar disc less efficient.

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Proper Bending and Lifting Technique

Is it always possible? NO!1. Lead with the head.2. Maintain the inward curve of the back if possible by

tightening trunk muscles.3. Bend at the knees.4. Think like a power lifter.

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Proper Bending and Lifting Technique

Use your core strength efficiently.

Try to minimize the risk.

If a lift is high risk then greater recovery time is needed before next lift.

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Reposition Back (Do this every time you stand up)

Gently move into extension. Hold this position for 5 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.

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Why Should I Stretch and Move?

Maintains flexibility.

Brings new blood flow to fatigued muscles.

Filters out the by-products of muscle fatigue.

Muscles like to move by lengthening and shortening.

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Stretching and Moving

Stretching and moving shouldn’t hurt.

Always start in neutral or as close to neutral as you can get.

Slow and controlled is best.

Modify the stretch or movement if it isn’t comfortable.

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Guiding Principles for Lifting

Eliminate all lifts from the ground.

Avoid any lifts that don’t add value to the product.

Keep lifting between standing knuckle and shoulder height.

Avoid extended reaches with a lift.

Use lift assist devices when ever possible.

Use good lifting technique no matter what the size of the object being lifted.

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Summary

Don’t let gravity get you down.

Let neutral posture be your guide.

Keep lifts off the floor.

Use your core muscles efficiently

Stretch and move to keep yourself healthy.

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MEMIC’s Safety Director

1. Go to www.memic.com and you will notice a blue tab called “For Employers”. Drag your mouse pointer over this tab and on the right-hand menu, you’ll see a link entitled Log into Safety Director.

2. If you are a new user to Safety Director, click on the new user link to create a personal profile.

3. Get started!

Register Today!Get the Resources You Need to Make Your

Workplace Safer

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for your participation in this training

session.