Tag Archives: lifting

Minimize the Risk of Employee Back Strain at Your Grocery Store with the NIOSH Lifting Equation

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In 2014, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that for all workers there were 365,580 cases of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as sprains or strains resulting from overexertion in lifting. Workers who sustained an MSD required a median of 13 days to recuperate before returning to work in 2014, compared to 9 days for all types of cases, and up from 11 days in 2013.

A significant workers compensation hazard for grocery stores is material handling and lifting. Employees may be lifting throughout the entire day without drastic effects. However, there are lifts that can be potentially dangerous to their back and overall body.

I conducted a random sampling of 10 Society Insurance customers that operate grocery stores and have determined the maximum average weight lifted on a day-to-day basis. The averages from the samples are as follows: (more…)

7 Tips for Lifting Safety

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This entry is part 1 of 13 in the series Safe With Society

As we celebrate our 100th year in business in 2015, we embark on another century of commitment to our policyholders. Our mission is to protect the livelihoods of our policyholders, and, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In keeping with that theme, we’ll celebrate our 100th year in business with 100 important tips to help identify, evaluate and prevent dangers that could result in financial loss or injury in a year-long “Safe with Society” blog series.

“Bend your knees, not your back.”

“Don’t twist as you lift.”

Most of us have heard these nuggets before. It’s good advice, but it seems to go against human nature and common behavior. Here are actions you can take to help you lift properly: (more…)

Grocery Store Safety: Train Your Staff to Stock Smart

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Working in a grocery store can be quite demanding. The repetitive movements and heavy lifting can threaten an employee’s health and make them prone to injury. It comes as no surprise then that grocery stores rank high on the list of repeated trauma cases, with strains and sprains accounting for 45 percent of total injuries or illnesses.

Improper lifting technique can be particularly harmful and lead to OSHA’s number one workplace safety problem: back injuries. Back injuries are a real pain, affecting more than one million employees annually and costing companies billions of dollars in lost production. (more…)