The Britannia P&I Club has issued a useful guide for seafarers focusing on back injuries and lifting. Club’s latest HealthWatch highlights the subject of crew injuries caused by the strain of lifting, pulling and pushing objects in the dynamic environment.
One of the biggest causes of back injury at work is lifting or handling objects incorrectly. Learning and following the correct method for lifting and handling heavy loads can help to prevent injury and avoid back pain.
Safe lifting tips
Know your limits: Don’t lift or handle more than you can easily manage. There’s a difference between what people can lift and what they can safely lift. If you’re in doubt, seek advice or get help.
Think before you lift: Plan the lift. Where is the load going to be placed? Use appropriate handling aids where possible. Will help be needed with the load? Remove obstructions, such as discarded wrapping materials. For long lifts, such as from floor to shoulder height, consider resting the load mid-way on a table or bench to change your grip on it.
Keep the load close to the waist:
Keep the load close to the waist for as long as possible while lifting. The distance of the load from the spine at waist height is an important factor in the overall load on the spine and back muscles. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body. If closely approaching the load isn’t possible, try to slide it towards the body before trying to lift it.
Adopt a stable position:
Your feet should be apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance (alongside the load if it’s on the ground). Be prepared to move your feet during the lift in order to maintain a stable posture. Wearing over-tight clothing or unsuitable footwear may make this difficult.
Ensure a good hold on the load:
Where possible, hug the load close to the body. This may be a better option than gripping it tightly with the hands only.
Don’t bend your back when lifting:
A slight bending of the back, hips and knees at the start of the lift is preferable to either fully flexing the back (stooping) or fully flexing the hips and knees – in other words, fully squatting.
Don’t flex the back any further while lifting:
This can happen if the legs begin to straighten before starting to raise the load.
Don’t twist when you lift:
Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways especially while the back is bent. Keep your shoulders level and facing the
same direction as the hips. Turning by moving your feet is better than twisting and lifting at the same time.
Keep your head up:
Keep your head up when handling the load. Look ahead, not down at the load once it has been held securely. A load should always be carried in such a way that it does not obscure vision.
Move smoothly:
Don’t jerk or snatch the load as this can make it harder to keep control and can increase the risk of injury.
Lower down, then adjust:
Put the load down and then adjust. If you need to position the load precisely, put it down first, then slide it into the desired position.
The Britannia P&I Club in this edition has also highlighted cardiovascular related problems arising from high blood pressure as this is one of the most common illness claims.
High blood pressure is often referred to as the “silent killer”– before the symptoms manifest themselves, the only way to know if anybody has it, is to have his blood pressure checked. Lifestyle plays an important role in both preventing and treating high blood pressure.
The Club also mentions some facts about hydration and another common claim caused by chronic dehydration, namely kidney stones. Dehydration is usually caused by not drinking enough fluid to replace what we lose. The climate, the amount of physical exercise seafarers are doing (particularly in hot weather) and their diet can contribute to dehydration.
Explore more by reading the HealthWatch edition below
Source & Image credit: Britannia P&I Club
