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Back injuries often come due to lax safety protocols

On Behalf of | Apr 19, 2021 | Workplace Risks

Back injuries at work are a huge issue for many different industries. While workers play a critical role in the prevention of these injuries, the onus falls on the employers to ensure that the employees have the proper equipment and protocol to remain safe. 

There are many points that employers should consider when setting up a back injury prevention program at work. Here are a few of the most important:

Periodic retraining

While employees might be trained on injury prevention when they first start working, they should also have periodic reminders or refreshers about how important it is to follow the safety protocols. Your managers and supervisors should be on the watch for mistakes that could lead to injuries.

Lifting techniques

Lifting techniques help to take the pressure off the back. It’s especially important for workers to know that heavy and bulky items aren’t solo-lift jobs. Instead, they are team lifts. If workers don’t have anyone to help them, there should be equipment to pick up the slack. At no time should workers be encouraged to or allowed to lift those heavy or bulky items by themselves. 

Proper time planning

One issue that many employers don’t think about when they’re creating a back injury prevention program is how rushing can have a negative impact on how people handle tasks. The risk of a back injury is much greater when workers are rushing.

Any worker who suffers a back injury, including a cumulative trauma injury, should get immediate medical care, and workers’ compensation should cover the cost when workers can’t return to work right away might qualify for partial wage replacement benefits. Working with an attorney familiar with this area of law is beneficial, especially if there is an issue that has to be appealed.