special subjects
Work Related Back Pain
Prevention of Work Related Back Pain
Risk of work-related back injury can be reduced, eliminated, or controlled by use of the following: Engineering controls:Strategies include changing the way materials and products are transported (eg, using mechanical assist devices for lifting or carrying heavy loads, changing to packages with handles or to packages with slotted hand holes, moving packages to areas that are easier to reach). Administrative controls:Strategies include reducing the length of shifts, limiting the amount of overtime, and/or scheduling more breaks. Such strategies reduce the risk of work-related back injuries but do not eliminate the hazards that may cause them. Engineering controls are more effective, but administrative controls can help until engineering controls can be implemented or when engineering controls cannot be implemented. Personal protective equipment (PPE):PPE includes back braces, back belts, and similar devices. Whether PPE can protect against ergonomic hazards is unclear. Although these devices may help, they may make it harder for workers to do the task (eg, a back brace may make doing a task that requires bending at the waist difficult). Ergonomics:Ergonomics aims to reduce stress and eliminate injuries and disorders caused by overuse of muscles, bad posture, and repetitive tasks. 