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4 main reasons for back injuries on the job

On Behalf of | Apr 12, 2018 | Neck And Back Injuries At Work |

Back injuries can be debilitating. They tend to linger, sometimes for years. Bad injuries can leave you with moderate pain and discomfort for the rest of your life. Medical treatment, even just to cope, can get very expensive.

Unfortunately, back injuries are fairly common on the job. To help you avoid them, take a look at these four main reasons why they happen:

  • Lifting items improperly: You need to focus on bending down and using your legs, keeping your core tight and your back as straight as possible. A lot of people make the mistake of bending at the waist and using their back to lift, leading to injury.
  • Not getting enough training: Employers need to understand that many workers do not know how to lift safely. They often provide little or no training, assuming that workers will know everything already, which causes injuries when employees make mistakes that could have easily been avoided with just a little safety training.
  • Rushing: Employees who are working too fast often make mistakes. When an employer pushes them to value production over safety, they may feel forced to lift without proper gear or to lift items that are clearly too heavy for them.
  • Not understanding the risk: This is often ironically an issue for workers who have to lift heavy items consistently. When you have been doing it without injury for years, you may be more prone to ignore your safety training or attempt a lift that is too heavy for your body.

Did you suffer a back injury at work? Due to the lingering nature of these injuries and the expense, it is very important to know all of your legal rights.

Source: SafeStart, “4 Major Causes of Workplace Back Injuries (and What to Do About Them),” accessed April 12, 2018

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