How to reduce wrist pain during lifting

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# ERGONOMIC SERIES - SPRAINS & STRAINS Date Posted: 02/16/2024 According to the Center for Construction Research (CPWR), one in five construction workers experiences musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), including sprains, strains, and soft tissue injuries, which gradually worsen and are often chronic. In fact, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2005, construction's lost days nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rate for sprains and strains (83.1 cases per 10,000 full-time workers) was higher than any other industry sector. Strains and sprains can affect a worker's back, neck, shoulder, knee, wrist, and ankle. Sprains and strains account for about a third of injuries in construction. A sprain is an injury to a ligament, the tough, fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones. Sprain injuries involve a stretching or a tearing of this tissue. Ankle, knee, and wrist injuries account for most sprains. A strain is an injury to a muscle or a tendon, the tissue connecting muscles to bones. Back injuries are the most prevalent regarding strains. Depending on the severity of the injury, a strain may be a simple overstretch of the muscle or tendon, or it can result in a partial or complete tear. These soft tissue injuries occur frequently and are painful, disabling, and often accompanied by lengthy recovery periods. ## WHAT ARE SPRAINS AND STRAINS? Although different, both injuries can be caused by the same activities. The body's back, trunk, or torso are the most affected by strains and sprains. Almost 40% of workplace injuries in 2021 involved these parts of the body. For that same year, 27% related to injuries to legs or other lower extremities such as knees or ankle joints. Sprain: In a sprain, a joint is forced to go beyond its normal range of motion. The ligament fibers overstretch and tear. This often happens with sudden twisting in active sports. The joint can still function, but ligament tears leak blood into the tis…

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# MIOSHA Fact Sheet Ergonomics in Construction MIOSHA Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration What is Ergonomics? Simply put, ergonomics is fitting the task to the person. Too often employees perform job tasks that expose them to potential injuries and illnesses due to the poor design of a workstation or tool they are using. Ergonomics involves the assessment of job tasks to identify ergonomic risk factors and appropriate engineering or work practice controls to reduce or eliminate the identified risk factors. Generally, ergonomic changes are made to improve the fit between the demands of the job tasks and the capabilities of the employees. ## What are Ergonomic Risk Factors? Ergonomic risk factors are characteristics of a job that contribute to the creation of ergonomic stress on the body. Risk factors are present at varying levels for different jobs and tasks. Generally, the greater the exposure to a single risk factor or combination of risk factors, the greater the probability of an ergonomic injury or illness, also called Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD). The big three ergonomic risk factors are force (how much you lift/push/pull), repetition (how often you perform the task), and posture (body position). Other potential ergonomic risk factors include vibration, contact stress, sustained exertions, and cold temperatures. The construction trades have many risk factors that may cause WMSDs that are not always easy to identify or brought to our attention. Some examples are masons with back problems due to the repeated lifting of cement block, and carpenters with wrist problems due to repeated use of a hammer. ## What Can the Employer Do? Much like overall health and safety programs, effective ergonomic programs utilize a systematic approach involving the following: • Management Commitment and Employee Involvement - Successful ergonomic programs are those that have everyone moving in the same direction working towards a common s…

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# What is ergonomics and why is it important? Ergonomics is the applied science of designing the work to fit the worker. Intense work frequently performed in an awkward or prolonged posture can cause fatigue, discomfort, and pain. Over time, it may lead to debilitating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDS). Musculoskeletal disorders are injuries and disorders that affect the human body's movement or musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs, blood vessels, etc.). They can arise from a sudden exertion, or develop from repeatedly making the same bodily motion, as well as from repeated exposures to force, vibration, or awkward posture. Musculoskeletal disorders contribute to employee absenteeism and can be costly to treat. They are the single largest category of workplace injuries and are responsible for almost 30 percent of all worker's compensation costs nationally. Adjusting the job to the worker to reduce or eliminate awkward and prolonged postures can save employers the financial costs of these commonly disabling claims, and improve worker productivity and morale. ## Ergonomics in action Work above shoulder height or below the knees, repetitive tasks, over-extending, prolonged awkward postures, vibrations, sudden movement, extreme temperatures, impact loading, and heavy lifting put employees at a greater risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Construction and manufacturing or assembly-type workers are especially susceptible to musculoskeletal disorders like sprains, strains, back pain, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The risk of injury is greatly reduced when work is performed between shoulder and elbow height in a natural and neutral posture. × Back arched ✓ Back straight * Body twisted Knees bent, squatting ## Some examples of ergonomic best practices • Get help when lifting loads that are 35 to 40 pounds or when lifting large, awkward objects. Avoid lifting any load heavier than 50 pounds or lifting heavy objects above shoulder …

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# ERGONOMIC SAFETY Date Posted: 01/27/2024 According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), About 1.8 million workers report musculoskeletal disorders (MSDS), commonly known as strains and sprains, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and back injuries yearly. About 600,000 of those workers need to take time off work because of those injuries. Unlike injuries from falls, electrocution, or other serious hazards, MSDs don't appear very serious when they appear. They start with minor discomfort in the early stages. These symptoms disappear after a short break or at night when you don't work. But returning to the same activity the next day brings back the symptoms. Your body can recover between these episodes of intense activity in the earlier stages when the symptoms are mild or moderate, but eventually, your body won't recover. Recognizing problems with the work tasks that cause these symptoms is the first step to eliminating them. ## WHAT IS ERGONOMICS? Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the working population. Effective and successful "fits" assure high productivity, avoidance of illness and injury risks, and increased satisfaction among the workforce. Ergonomics involves designing and arranging spaces so people work efficiently and safely. It evaluates how you do your work and identifies risk factors that might lead to injury. We use this information to find the best solution to eliminate or manage the hazard. Your capabilities and limitations are considered to ensure that tasks, equipment, and environment suit you. ## ERGONOMIC RISK FACTORS Common examples of ergonomic risk factors are found in jobs requiring repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands; frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy objects; and prolonged awkward postures. Vibration and cold may add risk to these work conditions. Jobs or working conditions presenting …

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# ERGONOMIC SERIES-GENERAL ERGONOMICS Date Posted: 02/14/2024 Ergonomics fits the task to the person. It strives to create the best atmosphere for any occupation to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDS). These disorders affect muscles, blood vessels, nerves, ligaments, and tendons in the body and can be caused by repetitive tasks like lifting, bending, and reaching. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that ergonomic injuries account for 33% of all workplace worker injury and illness cases, with direct costs to the industry of over $20 billion annually and estimated total costs of $45-54 billion annually. Compared to the lost workdays of the average injury or illness (8 days), ergonomic injuries result in 38% more lost time days (11 days). Awkward postures are a significant ergonomic risk that leads to these types of injuries. ## WHAT IS AN ERGONOMIC HAZARD? Ergonomic risk factors are characteristics of a job that contribute to creating ergonomic stress on the body. Risk factors are present at varying levels for different jobs and tasks. Generally, the greater the exposure to a single risk factor or combination of risk factors, the greater the probability of an ergonomic injury or illness, also called Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD). The construction trades have many risk factors that may cause MSDs that are only sometimes easy to identify or brought to our attention. Some examples are masons with back problems due the repeated lifting of cement blocks and carpenters with wrist problems due to the repeated use of a hammer. Ergonomic Solution Brainstormer (adobeconnect.com) ## COMMON ERGONOMIC HAZARDS IN CONSTRUCTION ## HEAVY LIFTING: It's no secret that construction work includes much heavy lifting. Lifting 50 lbs. or more can be extremely tough on the body and can lead to significant injury when lifting a load improperly. On construction sites, workers are constantly lifting heavy equipment, lumber, and metal and are regularly opening a…