Best Practices for Safe Lifting

When lifting is part of your job, it seems like it’s never the medium-sized box in the posters. Often the things you have to lift are awkward to carry and you have to bend and twist to get to them. These situations can increase the risk of a potential injury.

There is no shortage of advice for safe lifting to prevent injury, but what do you do when the advice isn’t practical for what you do every day?

Here are some practical tips for safe lifting so you can prevent injury.

Good Lifting Starts Before You Lift

Posture matters all the time. Having good posture when you’re not lifting will help maintain the core muscles you need to be able to lift properly no matter what your position.

It’s easy to excuse poor lifting habits when most of what you lift is awkward or involves twisting and bending. But when it’s possible to use proper lifting techniques, do you? Remembering good posture during all the parts of your day will make it easier to lift as ideally as possible.

Ask for Help

Sure, you can feel like the Incredible Hulk by lifting it alone, but how Hulk-like will you feel if you’re injured and unable to work? One of the reasons you have other people working with you is to make sure everyone has the support they need to stay safe. Make sure you’re utilizing the resources you have by asking for help when you need it.

Asking for help can also help your coworkers know that they can ask you for help as well. When your coworkers see that it’s ok for their peers to ask for help, they will be less reluctant to ask for help. This is a great way to keep everyone safe on the worksite.

Use Mechanical Lifts when Possible

Mechanical lifts can be large and awkward, so there are some places that lifting equipment simply can’t go. But when at all possible, use a mechanical lift. Even when you can lift an object easily, using a mechanical lift will keep you from putting extra strain on your body.