Q+ A Lifting
When does lifting have consequences for health?
Lifting at work can have an adverse effect on your health. If you lift a heavy object from the
ground with your hands, the strength is provided by the muscles on the rear of your body. If
the muscles cannot take the strain, your back will suffer. Your muscles or ligaments could be
damaged, or worse, your spinal discs. Poor lifting techniques or being in the same position for
long and uninterrupted periods can also cause complaints.
The heavier the weight, the greater the risk
The heavier the weight being lifted, the greater is the risk of back problems.
Poor lifting techniques
Lifting even light objects can cause damage, as the weight of the upper part of the body is also
transferred during lifting. Using poor lifting techniques, or lifting objects for too long a period
of time, means that moving even empty cake boxes can lead to back trouble.
Being in the same position for a long period of time
Being in the same position for a long period of time can also be risky. For example, if
someone has to hold a heavy object, he has to use the same muscles continuously for a long
time, and this causes the blood flow to be impeded. It may also be the case that his joints are
in the same position for too long, and this can lead to problems.
Combined strain
Many work activities cause a combined strain as a result of position and movement, such as in
the case of a plasterer who has to maintain his balance on a ladder (position) while drawing
the trowel across the ceiling above his head (movement). Another example is that of a
warehouse employee who constantly moves or stacks boxes (movement) while bending his
back (position).
Symptoms
Overburdening the body in this way can lead to the following symptoms:
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Muscle pain, by putting too much strain on the long back muscles.
Lumbago, an acute form of muscle cramp.
Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) of the spinal discs. This may be the result
of doing heavy work, but can also be age-related.
Slipped disc –this is where the spinal disc is damaged. The soft centre bulges out and
presses against the nerves (sciatica).
How can you prevent back complaints?
If you have to lift or carry objects at work, this may harm your health. You should therefore
remember the following:
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always try to avoid lifting objects by hand wherever possible. Instead, use mechanical
aids like forklift trucks, hoists, hoisting beams, cranes, carts, jacks, belly girths;
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ask for instructions when given new tasks or tools;
wear the right clothing. It is better for your muscles if they are warm while you work,
rather than if they are cold. You should therefore wear enough clothing. Pay special
attention if you have a sweaty back – you may get backache when it cools down.
Clothing that is too tight, like narrow trousers, hinders movement. Shoes should
provide good support and preferably have anti-slip soles. The chance of back injury is
greater if someone loses their balance while lifting or moving an object;
make sure your place of work is safe. Look out for slippery floors and objects that you
could trip up over;
make sure your place of work is the right height, and that you have enough room to
lift. Avoid putting yourself in a situation where you have to turn while lifting. Keep
the distance the load has to be carried as small as possible;
working under pressure of time often leads to accidents. Take regular breaks;
make sure your work is properly organised. Make sure you vary your work activities;
if you find the pressure of your work to be too great, say so;
tell you employer of things that you believe could be improved.
What is the best way to lift objects?
Stick to the ten golden rules for lifting:
1. do not bend and lift unnecessarily – use aids where possible;
2. lifting objects properly takes just as much time as doing it wrong – so do it properly;
3. consider in advance how you are going to move any load, and where to, so that you
can factor in any potential problems;
4. determine in advance what the weight of the load is: do not lift too much at the same
time. Ask your colleagues for help with large and heavy objects;
5. always face any load directly: never lift while twisting or turning your back – move
your feet if you have to turn;
6. determine the centre of gravity of the load and get properly balanced before starting to
lift it;
7. use both hands to lift: let your body bear the load symmetrically by carrying roughly
the same weight in each hand, keeping the load as close to your body as possible,
avoid having to reach, do not lift anything above shoulder height;
8. move slowly and smoothly when lifting. Bend your knees and keep your body straight
when lifting, as this reduces the load on your spinal column. By lifting with bended
knees you can keep the object closer to your body (as long as it is not too big).
However, the load will not be reduced if you hold the object in front of your knees;
9. if you have to walk while carrying the load, make sure that the area where you will be
walking is free of obstacles, and use footwear with a firm grip if walking on smooth
floors;
10. listen to your body: take seriously any signals it is giving. Complaints that you feel for
the first time can quickly get worse. You can feel better than anyone else what your
back can and cannot take.
In which jobs is the chance of back problems the greatest?
The chance of getting back problems is greater for employees in jobs that involve heavy
physical work, for example:
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road-builders and construction workers, who are constantly bending down and lifting
objects;
nursing employees and those who look after the sick and the elderly, who have to lift
up their patients;
cleaners who frequently work while bent over and who often make repetitive
movements;
jobs that entail lifting and carrying all kinds of products, such as that of warehouse
employee;
drivers who spend a lot of time in the same position at the wheel, and who then have
to load or unload their goods;
agricultural workers who have to drive juddering tractors while twisting their backs
and looking over their shoulders.
What is the maximum weight you should lift?
There are a number of general and specific rules on how much employees should lift. The
specific rules are contained in the Policy Rule on Lifting at building sites, and the Policy Rule
on Physical loads in children’s day nurseries. In addition to these Policy Rules, Chapter 5,
section 1 (physical load) of the Working Conditions Decree applies to lifting work.
Rules
There are no general rules about the maximum weight that should be lifted, except those that
apply to building sites and children’s day nurseries. Employees in the construction industry
should avoid lifting objects by hand as much as possible. The maximum weight that anyone
may lift is 25 kilos, and for two people, 50 kilos.
The Policy Rule on Lifting at building sites states that road-builders may not manually work
with stones that weigh more than four kilos. It also lays down the conditions under which
bricklayers can do their work without using mechanical lifting equipment. Pieces of
scaffolding that weigh more than 23 kilos may not be lifted or carried by hand by one person.
In the case of children’s day centres, children who weigh more than 23 kilos may not be
lifted.
Health and safety catalogues
The new Working Conditions Act entered into force on 1 January 2007. The new Act gives
employers and employees greater scope for shaping their own health and safety policies. The
government has set down certain target regulations in the Act – the framework of minimum
protection levels that companies must provide their employees so that they can work safely
and in a way that does not endanger their health. Employers and employees together agree on
the details of how their company or branch of industry should shape their policies, based on
the target regulations set by the government. They then can put their agreements into a health
and safety catalogue. Once the health and safety catalogue for a particular sector or industry
has been approved, the policy rules are withdrawn. All policy rules will have been withdrawn
by 1 January 2010.
Agreements in the construction industry
Employer and employee organisations have agreed on a number of measures regarding
healthy work in the construction industry. They have been set down in the so-called A-sheets,
which are published by Arbouw. You can apply for the A-sheet on lifting or lifting brochure
(in Dutch).
Calculation method
The American National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety has devised a method for
calculating how many kilos someone should lift in a given situation. The method takes such
matters into account as:
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how high the person has to lift something;
how often lifting work is performed;
whether lifting work has to be carried out in awkward circumstances;
whether the load is easy to lift;
whether the person doing the lifting has to reach far.
On the Arbobondgenoten website, you can work out what the maximum weight for a lifting
situation is, using the so-called NIOSH formula (information is in Dutch).