SAFETY ON THE JOB

Preventing Injuries from Lifting One of the most important ways to prevent injury is to lift correctly. "Teach people to use their legs, not their backs," says Melissa Crum, Doctor of Oriental Medicine. When lifting, it is important to stand as close to the object as possible. Bend your knees so that you are in a squatting position with your back straight. Grab the object. Straighten your knees and keep your back straight. If you need to place the object elsewhere, do not twist, turn, or jerk your back. Use your legs to turn your body.

Karen Seade of Turquoise Trail Physical Therapy instructs her patients that before and after lifting they should stand and bend backward five or six times. When lifting several boxes, stop and stretch after every few lifts.

Several delivery services here in New Mexico follow these simple guidelines. Both Hot Shot Services, Inc., an Albuquerque/Santa Fe delivery service, and the warehouse at Santa Fe Community College encourage their workers to wear support belts around their waists. All members of the Hot Shot Services staff view videos on proper lifting techniques. "[The videos] are not just about how to lift items off the ground, but also how to lift items out of cars," says Christine Nanney, one of the company's owners. "Not all packages are manually-handled; sometimes we use forklifts. We train [the employees] to recognize what tools are right for what job." The company's program is run by their insurance provider, New Mexico Mutual and Casualty. Many insurance companies run similar programs.

Medical experts agree that people with chronic back problems should not lift objects that weigh more than 30 pounds. It does not matter if their back feels fine that day.

Preventing Lower Back Injuries
Lifting is not the only way to develop a lower back injury. The most common way to injure your back is by sitting in the wrong position for a long time. Other methods are bending, standing, or lying in the wrong position for lengthy periods.

For those unsure if their posture is a problem, Seade advises standing as tall as you can. Lift your chest, pull in your stomach, and tighten your rear. It might feel strange, but once you are used to it, lower back pain will disappear.

Many in the construction, medical, and manufacturing fields spend their days leaning forward. If you are one of these people, it is important to stand and stretch backward five or six times during the day.

Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and other Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs) are more common for employees who do a lot of typing and other repetitive tasks, such as working on an assembly line. Alice Ortega, director of Human Resources at Santa Fe Community College, explains that their new employees are trained to prevent such problems. Training includes "the proper way to sit at the desk, where to put the keyboard, and the height of the screen."

"Monitors should be at eye level or lower," says Dr. Celeste Skardis, DOM. She says that ankles, knees, and elbows should all be held at 90-degree angles. Wrists should be parallel with the floor. To make this happen, employees may need to adjust their chairs, add footstools, or lower their desks. The keyboard may need to be moved closer to the body. "Make sure you are not reaching too far forward," Skardis emphasizes.

Seade adds that the seat needs leg clearance, and the distance from your eyes to the monitor should be 18 to 24 inches. Typists are not the only ones at risk. At the Marketplace, a natural Santa Fe grocery, cashiers are required to take breaks. Most retail stores allow cashiers to wear wrist braces if they choose.

Chiropractor Dr. Nadine Gonzales uses her hands all the time for her job. Before working, she does gripping exercises, stretches, and warm-ups for not only her hands, but also her wrists, shoulders, and whole body.

Products to Help with Prevention
The products most often suggested by the workplace safety experts are wrist pads for both the keyboard and the mouse. Ergonomic keyboards and chairs are also mentioned. These products can help prevent CTS and RSIs.

Megan Brand, vice president of Group Powell One, a temporary employment agency with offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, says that some of their temporary employees bring their own ergonomic equipment to temp jobs. "Some bring their own keyboard, one even brings her own chair." She says employers are fine with this arrangement.

Crum recommends an air-filled wedge. She says, "If your pelvis is not situated well, then your spine is not situated well, and then there is no support for your hands or arms - it's a domino effect." Whether you spend your day behind the desk or behind the wheel, Seade recommends a lumbar roll to give support to your lower back. Some people have a portable one that they use at the office, on the drive home, and at home while sitting in front of the television or reading the paper. Wherever they are sitting, they are receiving support.

Many typists and clerks wear wrist braces. Gonzales cautions that these are not to be worn all the time. "It is for someone who has been hurt or someone with weak wrists - it is for strengthening the wrist."

Combating Stress
Under a great deal of stress? Then you are more likely to have injuries. "Stress can reduce the body's natural immune ability," says Crum. "Also, the mind is distracted, so you are not thinking about doing the right thing."

If you are under a lot of stress, Crum recommends taking B vitamins, either a B complex or B-12, chamomile tea, and certain Chinese herbs that she can distribute. Lavender essential oil is also great, she says: "You can dilute it with kitchen oil, then put it on your wrists or behind your ears to relax."

Exercise
If your muscles are strong, then they are less likely to be injured. Also, frequent exercise can increase coordination, making you less likely to fall. Exercise reduces stress, which can make people more susceptible to injuries.

The New Mexico Department of Health reports that 80 percent of U.S. adults are sedentary. Being sedentary is the number one risk factor for chronic diseases such as arthritis, which can prevent employees from performing their jobs as well as when they are healthy.

The health department's "Take Charge Challenge" is a program practiced internally in the department as well as in the Center for Independent Living. It encourages employees to begin an exercise program of their choice. Entertainment events, prizes, and teamwork help make exercise fun so that people will implement it in their daily lives.

In particular, yoga and tai chi were both recommended by several of our health experts. Crum adds that "there is lots of research that suggests that [tai chi] strengthens bones."

"The most important thing is to vary your work activity - pause at least every 30 minutes, go to the copier, rest for 30 seconds, look out the window," says Karen Swift, a specialist in movement education and physical therapy.

Swift teaches Feldenkrais, which she describes as "a movement re-education system that restores physical movement capabilities. Movement sequences clarify and improve how we use our bodies. Moving differently can change how we think and feel and improve our bodies as well as our minds."

Regular Check-ups
Chiropractor Diane Carey recommends going for a chiropractic exam regularly. That way, if you do have an accident, it may not result in an injury; the injury could be less severe, or it could take less time to recover.

Gonzales agrees with Carey, pointing out that "you go to the dentist once a year, you have your car checked every so often, what about your spine?" She adds that people often come in with a problem stemming from an accident that occurred years ago. At the time of the accident, it could have more easily been fixed.

Supplements and Diet
To strengthen tendons and reduce the risk of injury, Crum recommends Vitamin C. Skardis recommends vitamin B-6 to certain patients who have pain in their wrists. She says this type of pain can often be caused by too much fluid in the body. If this is the case, she advises her patients not to eat as much fruit or drink as much water. In Chinese medicine, Skardis explains, it's believed that problems in the reproductive organs or kidneys may come out in the wrists. She would also examine those organs.

Of course, taking supplements is no substitute for eating well! All the medical experts emphasized the importance of a good diet. Following simple precautions and taking care of yourself can go a long way toward preventing workplace injuries.

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