577-Personal Safety / 748
P
ersonal Safet
y
BOS-PRD-03.900906
x
Adopt a good posture. Keep the load close to the waist. Bend your knees so that your hands, when
grasping the load, are as level with your waist as possible. Do not kneel or over-flex the knees. Keep
your back straight by tucking in your chin. Lean forward over the load slightly as this helps maintain
your balance and posture and to keep a good grip. Keep shoulders level and facing in the same
direction as the hips;
x
Maintain a firm, secure grip. A hook grip is less strenuous than keeping the fingers straight. If you
can, vary the grip as you move to prevent strain;
x
Try not to jerk. Carry the object smoothly keeping control of the load. Move the feet and try not to
twist from the torso when turning to the side, instead, face the way you want to go;
x
Put the load down, and then adjust the positioning if necessary. Take small steps when moving the
object further and don’t try to move it all in one go.
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When a load is held away from the trunk the stress on the lower back increases substantially. As a rough
guide, the stress on the lower back is about five times as much when a load is held at arm's length than
when it is held close to the body. The friction of a load against the worker's clothing also helps to support and
steady the load when it is close to the body. Any changes that can be made to the task which allow the load
to be held closer to the handler's body are likely to be beneficial.
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Twisting the trunk
should
be avoided when lifting or supporting a load and is particularly damaging if carried
out when seated. Where it is necessary to twist the body during the handling operation, a reduction in the
maximum weight of load is considered appropriate. Reductions of approximately 10%, when the degree of
twist is 45%, and 20% when twisting through 90%, are suggested as reasonable. The layout of workstations
where handling is to be carried out either seated or standing
should
be considered so that the need to twist
the body during the task is avoided.
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This increases the load on the lower back whether it is done by bending the back, or by leaning forward with
the back straight. In either case the weight of the trunk is added to the weight of the load being lifted.
Attention
should
be given to storage of materials to avoid heavy or awkward loads having to be lifted from
the ground.
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Greater loads are imposed on the back, shoulders and arms when a load is handled with arms outstretched.
As a result, there is a greater risk of injury when handling of a load is carried out while reaching upwards,
particularly if the stretching is prolonged or repetitive. Control of the load is also more difficult when the arms
are outstretched.
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The ideal height for handling of a load is around waist height. Lifting or lowering a load outside this range
requires greater physical effort and increases the likelihood of injury. Where a load has to be lifted or lowered
through a wide height range it will normally need to be handled outside this preferred zone. In this case the
weight of the load
should
be limited to that which can safely be handled at the least favourable height.
Movement of loads can be made easier by arranging storage areas. Significant variation in the height of
storage or working surfaces
should
be avoided where possible. Where practicable, heavier objects
should
be
stored around waist height with space above or below this level being used for lighter or more easily handled
items.
Where lifting of loads from deck level is unavoidable, the risk of injury can be substantially reduced if the load
is held close to the body to allow the stronger leg muscles to be used in lifting. Factors that may prevent this
Version 04. Original date: 25/05/2012. Version date: 31/12/2014. Valid version only on QMS site. Uncontrolled when printed.
Procedure prepared by: BOS Deputy QHSE Manager. Approved by: BOS QHSES Manager. Validated by: BOS Quality Representative
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