Safe Lifting
Procedures
Blue Ridge Services, Inc.
7204 Hites Cove Rd
Mariposa, CA 95338
209-742-2398
www.blueridgeservices.com
Name
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Printed in the United States of America
World Rights Reserved
This booklet or any portion thereof may not be copied
or reproduced in any form, except as permitted under
the United States Copyright Act of 1976, nor
distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a
data base retrieval system, without the express, prior,
written permission of the author.
Copyright 2014 by Neal Bolton
Copyrighted 2014
This book is intended to assist the reader in
understanding how work safely in a variety of
situations that may occur at a landfill. It is not
intended to replace common sense or judgment. The
author(s) and publisher(s) of this manual shall not be
held responsible in any way for the safety of those
using this material for training purposes. Safe
operation of every landfill is the responsibility of that
facility’s owner, manager, operators and laborers and
other staff.
Published by:
Blue Ridge Services, Inc.
7204 Hites Cove Rd
Mariposa, CA 95338
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www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Introduction:
The leading injury caused by poor lifting techniques is back
injury. Back injuries are common at landfills and can
happen to any one at any time. A 2006 study estimated
that 80 percent of adults experience a back injury in their
lifetime, and about 10 percent will suffer a re-injury.
Most injuries are caused by simple lifting mistakes: using
poor posture while lifting, or simply lifting something that is
too heavy. Putting too much strain on your back increases
the risk of injury.
While working, you’ve probably heard someone say, “We
need more leverage.” Chances are they were trying to
move something that was too heavy to budge by sheer
strength alone. A lever is perhaps the most basic tool,
consisting of a beam and a fulcrum. Your back is like a
lever – it’s basic physics.
To measure the force exerted by a lever, multiply the force
x the length of the lever arm. The force is often measured
in pounds and the length is simply the distance from the
pivot point (the fulcrum) to where the force is applied. The
result, referred to as torque, is expressed in foot-pounds
(ft-lb).
Here’s an example. Let’s say you wanted to move a big
rock – one that weighs 500 pounds. Using a 6-foot pry
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bar, with 1 foot under the rock, how much force would you
have to apply to the end of the pry bar to move the rock?
The rock can apply 500 ft-lbs of torque (500 pounds x 1
foot). Since you have a 5 foot lever arm, you must apply
100 pounds force to move the rock (5 feet x 100 pounds).
You may not be aware of it, but you use levers every day.
Some common levers include:
 Hand Truck
 Car jack
 Pry bar
 Backhoe
 Wrench
Remember, your back is also a lever. Simply standing up,
empty-handed from a bent position can apply a
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considerable force on the vertebra in your lower back – up
to 1,000 pounds for a 200-pound man. Lifting heavier
items increases the force on the vertebra. Your spine is
made up of stacked vertebra – each one separated by a
cushioning disk. Back injury often occurs when the
pressure exerted on your vertebra forces a disk out of
place. No doubt you’ve heard someone refer to having a
“slipped disk.” Now you know what it means.
Most back injuries occur when someone lifts something
that is too heavy or does not use proper lifting techniques.
Proper lifting technique is based on good posture and
common sense. For safe lifting, follow these simple
guidelines:
 Clear a pathway before moving objects from one
place to another.
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Check the object's weight to see if you need help
lifting or moving it.
Use the proper tools to assist with lifting
Stand close to the load and center yourself over it with
your feet shoulder width apart
Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and
squat down to the floor
Get a good grasp on the load with both hands
Keeping the load close to your body use your leg
muscles to stand up lifting the load off the floor
Keep your back as straight as possible, using only the
muscles in the legs to lift the load
Do not twist your body when moving the load.
Follow the same guidelines (in reverse) when putting the
object down.
Remember, even relatively lightweight items can cause
injury if you don’t follow proper lifting guidelines. On the
other hand, even if you are careful, items that are too
heavy can cause injury.
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Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
When it’s too heavy
How do you know if something is too heavy? Check every
load before you lift by pushing the object lightly with your
hands or feet to see how easily it moves. The total weight
of many packaged items is listed on the label.
There are no hard and fast rules regarding how much
weight you should handle; it really depends on your
strength, the shape of the item, the footing, how far it must
be carried, and many other factors. Your facility may have
established a maximum lifting limit; if so, follow it. If there
is no official lifting limit, let common sense be your guide.
Here is a list of items that are often too heavy for one
person to lift or carry:
 Generator
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Refrigerator
Spare tire
Drum of oil
Straw bale
Filled propane bottle
Bag of ready-mix concrete
When you must move heavy items consider these
techniques:
 For heavy or hard-to-handle items, get help;
 If there is no one to help or if the object is difficult to
hold, use a cart, wagon or hand truck;
 For very heavy items use an overhead crane or hoist.
Make sure the object doesn’t exceed the maximum
safe load capacity;
 Use a forklift load or transport palletized items;
 Use a lift gate to load or unload heavy items
Keep in mind that size and weight are not always related.
Certain tools or machine parts may be too heavy for one
person to safely carry, even though they are small.
Be safe when lifting. Take time to do it right. Don’t try to
show off your muscles.
Go ahead and laugh, but we’ve all seen someone who
lifted something – or tried lifting something – that was too
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Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
heavy, all for the purpose of showing off. There is nothing
to be gained by this kind of performance.
Prevention
To re-cap safe lifting procedures; remember to:
 Clear a pathway
 Check the weight
 Use proper tools
 Stand close and center the load
 Keep your back straight
 Squat – don’t bend
 Use both hands
 Keep load close to your body
 Don’t twist while lifting
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Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
To help keep your back straight and supported while lifting,
consider wearing a back-support belt to further prevent
lifting injuries. Also, when continually lifting objects, take
short rest intervals to relieve the strain on your back.
Response to an injury:
Even when you take care to lift safely, injury can occur. If
you injure your back, follow these procedures:
1) Stop working
2) Sit or lie down to take the weight off your back
3) Notify a supervisor of the accident
4) If the pain is severe, seek medical attention
5) Avoid lifting for a few days to rest your back
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Are You Safety Savvy?
We’ve been discussing the proper techniques for safe
lifting. Now it’s time to see if you’re safety savvy. The
questions are simple and are intended to help you work
safely. Please take them seriously, because knowing the
right answers can help you work safely.
Question 1
This generator must be loaded into the back of a pickup.
How can it be done safely?
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Question 2
These two laborers are having a friendly competition to see
who can lift the most weight. Are there any problems?
Question 3
This freezer has to be moved. What is the safe way to
do it?
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Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Question 4
This worker just felt a pain in his back as he lifted an
object. What should he do?
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Summary
Lifting is a normal part of the job for most landfill workers.
Learn how to lift safely so you can avoid injury. Now it’s up
to you to use common sense and judgment …and be safe.
It’s never too soon to start thinking about safety.
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Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Answers
No. 1
1) Get someone to help
2) Use a forklift
3) Use a lift gate
4) Use a hoist
5) Do you have any other suggestions?
No. 2
1) Showing off can cause injury
2) Working too fast can result using poor lifting technique
3) Do you see anything else?
No. 3
1) Clear a pathway
2) Use a refrigerator dolly or hand truck
3) Any other ideas?
No. 4
1) Stop working
2) Sit or lie down
3) Notify his supervisor
4) Seek medical attention if pain persists
5) Any other suggestions?
Note:
These are only some of the more obvious issues. You
may find more.
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
Notes:
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com
Safety is not a plan …it’s an attitude
This is Your Book.
It is a valuable reference.
Keep it handy and refer to it often.
2014 © Blue Ridge Services, Inc.
When it comes to landfill operations …We Wrote the Book
www.blueridgeservices.com