Some examples...
Back Injuries: The human spine
and associated muscles are particularly vulnerable to some types of
injury, being both a highly flexible structure and subject to a great
deal of stress as the main load-bearer of the torso.
Preventing back injuries is a
major workplace safety challenge. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each
year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries
or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims
involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of
the pain and suffering borne by employees.
Moreover, though lifting, placing,
carrying, holding and lowering are involved in manual materials handling
(the principal cause of compensable work injuries) the BLS survey shows
that four out of five of these injuries were to the lower back, and that
three out of four occurred while the employee was lifting.
No approach has been found for
totally eliminating back injuries caused by lifting, though it is felt
that a substantial portion can be prevented by an effective control
program and ergonomic design of work tasks.
Other factors include frequency of
lifting, duration of lifting activities, and type of lifting, as well as
individual variables such as age, sex, body size, state of health, and
general physical fitness.
Repetitive strain injury:
also called repetitive stress injury or typing injury, is
an occupational overuse syndrome affecting muscles, tendons and nerves
in the arms and upper back. It occurs when muscles in these areas are
kept tense for very long periods of time, due to poor posture and/or
repetitive motions.
It is most common among assembly
line and computer workers. Good posture and ergonomic working conditions
can help prevent or halt the progress of the disorder; stretches,
strengthening exercises and massages can help heal existing disorders.
|