In the past few days, my colleagues and I have been trying to emphasis the need for recognition of ergonomics in the workplace to avoid lower back injuries. We have also provided some solutions. Today I will show you how important it is by discussing a case we dealt with recently.
It doesn't take much for people to suffer an injury to the lower back. Lifting heavy items can be a cause for injuries in the lower back, but the same counts for the wrong way of sitting at a desk, making a sudden wrong movement or working a place with continuous vibrations.
Lower back injuries are particularly common in the metal and steel industry. Today's example is taken from that industry.
An employee recently tried to lift a three jaw chuck when he suddenly screamed in pain, dropped the chuck, fell on the floor and grabbed at his back. The man had to be taken to a hospital where X-rays showed that he had injured his lumber disk. Instead of bending down and using his leg muscles to lift the chuck, he tried to lift it by using his back which resulted in the injury. The fact that he was working in a cold environment and that his body, and muscles in particular, had not been warmed up sufficiently to relax, contributed to the injury. The employee was booked off for five days and the total temporary disablement costs added up to R 3 180.90. The medical bill for seeing a doctor and having X-rays taken came to R 2 130.
The employee had to go for several sessions to treat his back. Luckily, he responded well to the treatment and soon managed to return to the workplace. But, despite the treatment, the doctor has not ruled out the possibility that there might be some micro damage to the lumber disc. According to him it is possible that the employee will suffer from mild to moderate back ache for the rest of his life. He, therefore, issued the employee with a cream that will help alleviate the irritation to a certain extent. But it is likely that, once the ambient temperature heats up, even the cream will not be enough to subdue the irritation and pain.
What the doctor called a 'mild to moderate back ache for the rest of his life' can become very annoying for the employee. It can also affect his ability to continue working for the company, or even in this industry. Even though the employer took the outcome of an internal investigation seriously and decided to acquire equipment that can assist employees when lifting heavy objects, the new equipment requires it is operated with both hands simultaneously. An employee who, every so often, has to use just one hand to scratch his back will clearly be less productive than one who can operate the machine continuously.
Don't try to be Superman. Simply act super clever!
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