According to the National Safety Council, improper lifting accounts for 25 percent of all occupational injuries around the country. Injuries usually consist of sprains and strains that occur mostly in the back, cuts and fractures. While there is no way to completely eliminate injuries related to lifting, there are ways that Texas workers can reduce the likelihood of getting hurt.
For instance, those who lift items on a regular basis may benefit by staying in good physical shape. Companies may make a worker’s job easier by getting rid of manual lifting whenever possible. When lifting is necessary, it is important to have a good grip on whatever it being moved. If an item is too heavy or awkward to lift alone, workers should ask their colleagues for help or use a mechanical lifting device instead.
It is never a good idea to lift either above your knees or below your shoulders. Ideally, items will be within easy reach to begin the process of lifting them. Workers should do their best to avoid twisting or otherwise contorting into unnatural positions while picking up an object. In many cases, workers will need to be trained on proper lifting techniques and retrained over time to allow those principles to sink in fully.
A work accident may be preventable when an individual is properly trained. However, there is no guarantee that an accident can’t or won’t occur on the job. People who are injured on the job may want to have a lawyer’s help in filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. These can include the payment of medical bills as well as in some cases provide a percentage of wages that are lost during the recovery period.