Ergonomics, Heavy Lifting and Material Handling

Heavy lifting and the associated pain and injury that frequently happens has been around for a long time. Centuries ago, the pulley was invented to reduce the work required to move a load, leading to the block and tackle that exponentially reduced the labor in lifting an object.

Heavy lifting in the warehouse and distribution center can often be addressed by utilizing ergonomic lift tables and positioners. They use a different form of mechanical advantage to reduce the amount of force a person must use in raising and lowering loads. Frequently, the only labor now required is the actual transfer of the load from the lift horizontally to another location, whether conveyor, pallet, or work table. Even that can be alleviated by use of a hoist or balancer.

The idea behind lift tables and positioners is to put the load at an advantageous height that removes the need to bend and lift in order to transfer the load. The less bending and lifting done, the less chance for injury to the back and the entire musculo-skeletal system. The best form of ergonomics, of course, is to remove the need for manual transfer altogether.

Industrial scissor lifts can be raised and lowered to the precise height needed to slide a load onto and off the lift’s platform. When that transfer can be done with a conveyor, fork truck or other mechanical method, workers are saved from the potential for injury down the road and possible disability if left untreated. The mechanical advantage is out there – save your workers from back breaking lifting. You’ll also find lift tables even out the strength limitations among workers. Even the puniest person can keep things going when a scissor lift is used instead of brute strength.

Useful resources for lifts and lifting techniques

• Case study:  “A Safer Work Platform Solution for Tinker Air Force Base”
• SpecAssist: How to specify a scissor lift
• Article: Why warehouse workers ignore safe lifting advice
• Article: How to pick from pallets in a safer, more ergonomic way