SafetyVet
Solutions for the veterinary professions!
SafetyVet
|
|
Know what you want? Here's the order form!
|
In
response to the increasing number of American workers relying on back belts to prevent
injury during lifting, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
decided to evaluate the evidence of their effectiveness. After an extensive review of the
scientific literature, NIOSH concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the
effectiveness of back belts in preventing back injuries related to manual lifting and
related job tasks.
An epidemiological study published in 1996 (Kraus et al.) credits mandatory use of back belts in a chain of large retail hardware stores with substantially reducing the rate of lower back injuries. Although this study provides limited evidence that back belts may be effective in some settings for preventing back injuries, the general consensus among safety professionals is that back belts have yet to be proven to reduce the number or severity of back injuries. Certainly future research is warranted, but until then, the effectiveness of back belts remains speculative at best.
Some safety professionals suggest workers are at a greater risk when using back belts because the workers think they are protected and may attempt to lift even more than they would have without it. Additionally, it can be noted that the belts do little good unless they are fitted properly to the person. Often, the worker finds the "snug" fit uncomfortable and just doesn't use the device properly.
Back braces alone are not adequate to reduce the risk of back injuries from improper lifting. Rather than relying solely on back belts, the OSHA and NIOSH recommend that businesses minimize their risk of back injury by developing and implementing a comprehensive ergonomics program. In the veterinary hospital, this program might include:
Even though the effectiveness of back belts is still somewhat controversial, many insurance companies will offer premium discounts for businesses with a strong back injury reduction program which includes these devices.
The information on these pages is excerpted from
The Complete Veterinary Practice Regulatory Compliance Manual (5th Edition) by Philip J. Seibert, Jr., CVT,
Copyright 2003 Philip J. Seibert, Jr., CVT All Rights Reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced for distribution without prior permission
from the publisher.
|
