Are you in the health care industry? Right now, our team is developing a manual handling course for workers in local hospitals. Here are some ideas from one of the modules to reduce reaching, which reduces the strain on the shoulders, upper back and neck:
Cleaning or changing beds
Let’s say you are assigned to clean beds or change sheets. You’re on your own in a room and typically, you may be inclined to reach across the bed. This can cause particular strain in the shoulders. What can you do to prevent this? Here are a few pointers:
- Raise or lower the work height
- For example, when cleaning beds, ensure that you raise or lower the height of the bed to your height.
- Work in pairs
- By working in pairs, you may be able to cut the reach distance in half. For example, when cleaning beds, have your partner work on the opposite side of the bed.
- If you need to work alone, move around the bed when cleaning or applying sheets to minimize reaching.
Mopping floors
Often, we think it’s faster to stand in one place and mop a huge area in front of us, stretching out from our body as far as we can to the front and sides of our bodies to reach the floor area that needs to be cleaned. In this case, let’s say you are mopping a hospital hallway floor. You are using your arms and shoulders while keeping your feet planted in one location. This places greater demands on the upper body. What can you do differently?
- Position yourself so the task is directly in front of you
- Try to use your feet as much as possible to move close to your work. For example, when wiping walls or mopping, use your feet to position your body instead of overreaching with your shoulders and arms.
- When mopping, try to use your feet to “walk with the mop” instead of reaching to cover the floor’s surface area. Also, try to hold the mop handle close to your body and near the midline.
Dusting/cleaning shelves or windows
Let’s say you have to dust a window sill high above your head. What many might do is grasp the handle of the duster/broom with one arm extended well above the shoulder. This is an awkward posture that can lead to a sore neck and shoulder. But there are a few techniques to minimize the extended reach.
- Move closer to the task, object or equipment
- To do this, you may need to move unnecessary equipment or furniture out of the way so you are able to stand close to the object you are reaching for.
- Raise yourself
- Use a stool or a ladder to raise yourself up when working at high levels.
- Use equipment where possible to minimize reach
- Lastly, utilize the equipment available to you to minimize reaching. Use ladders or stools when working at heights. Adjust the length of the handles if your mops or dusters are telescopic.
These are just some of the pointers that help minimize reaching on the job. We have a treasure chest full of better techniques that you or your staff can learn to work in comfort and reduce the risk for injury. If you have any issues in your workplace that would be best addressed with an ergonomic training session, contact us at 780-436-0024 or by email at info@ewiworks.com. A list of some of our courses can also be found on our website at www.ewiworks.com. Stay safe!