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Safety report aims to reduce workplace injuries

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health released a new safety report that aims to reduce workplace injuries California and around the country. The report targets the grocery industry, but its best practices outline strategies for safety that can apply to other industries as well. Its main goal is to decrease injuries that occur while employees move goods from the delivery truck to the aisle, as lifting and carrying are common tasks that can cause musculoskeletal injuries.

The spine, back and neck are areas that are susceptible to damage during repetitive lifting. This is a sensitive part of the body that can be the source of major injury or even paralysis if just one of the many bones or nerves in this region is damaged. The report by the agency is an attempt to minimize that outcome. It calls on employers to implement new protocols that are safer, listen to employees to gauge their comfort in certain tasks and strive to match the ability of their workers to the tasks they assign.

However, despite the efforts by employers to eliminate musculoskeletal injuries on the job, these types of injuries still accounted for 34 percent of workplace injuries in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These injuries are often due to overexertion on the job and can be very expensive, both in medical costs and and lost wages.

Workers that do suffer from spinal cord or neck injuries may choose to seek legal counsel. Proper representation could lead those who suffered such injury while working to rightful compensation, which can assist them in getting healthy and getting back on the job quicker.

Source: EHS Today, "Working in the ‘Power Zone’ (and Other Safe Material Handling Tips for Retailers)", Josh Cable, December 01, 2014

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