Lifting Safely While at Work

Lifting safely can prevent significant consequences such as injuries, accidents, and loss of morale.

A major part of safety in construction is knowing how to lift heavy loads safely. Lifting safely can prevent significant consequences such as injuries, accidents, and loss of morale. Although we have covered proper lifting techniques in this blog before, a refresher on this important element of construction safety never goes wrong. Please keep reading as we explore the mechanics of lifting safely while at work.

Proper Posture is Essential for Lifting Safely

The first thing to keep in mind about proper lifting technique is that proper posture is essential. Posture matters in many aspects of life, whether you’re sitting still working at a desk job for a construction company, or actively moving on that company’s work site. Achieving the proper posture is easy, as well. Imagine a straight line running through your body, and attempt to maintain this line throughout the day. Even when you are not working, proper posture is still important. You should also be aware of the alignment your body is in.

Body alignment isn’t difficult to assess, either. By lining up your upper body with your lower body, you can calibrate your body’s alignment; do this by aligning your chest, shoulders, and pelvis with your knees and ankles. If it helps, Harvard Health Beat recommends that workers should think of themselves as a “ballerina, ice skater, or soldier standing at attention.”

Procedures for Lifting Safely

Here are some tips for lifting safely. Along with proper posture, these procedures should make your lifting technique more efficient, powerful, and most importantly, safe and healthy.

• Don’t try to lift loads that are too heavy for you. Ask a coworker for help or use lifting equipment that can share the weight.
• Extend one foot in front of you and then bend your knees so that they are perpendicular to the floor or the ground. Keep a normal arch in your back once you start lifting, and make sure the weight is transferred to your legs and not your feet or heels.
• Twisting your back is a big no-no. Instead, you should pivot using one foot and then turn your entire body accordingly.
• If something is too far out of reach (i.e, too high) don’t reach or lift for it.
• Slowly put the object back down, keeping your back’s normal arch.

Prioritizing Safety with G & M Services

G & M Services is proud of our employees and the dedication they have for safety in the workplace. Our employees are also rewarded for positive safety practices. We incorporate weekly and monthly discussions and meetings to ensure that all involved are aware of how to handle equipment and potential situations that could occur during a project.

G & M Services offers services in the way of concrete drilling and sawing, concrete scanning, and FireStop. To get started with G & M Services, call us today at 410-787-8828 or visit our contact page.

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