Safe Work Practices > Manual Lifting

Date Reviewed: February 15, 2023

Incidents involving manual lifting and back injury account for the vast majority of industrial injuries. When lifting:

•Stay as close to the object to be lifted as possible,

•Bend at the knees and let your legs do the work, not your back,

•Keep your body straight at all times, do not twist with a load, shuffle your feet and turn your entire body.

•Use mechanical devices as much as possible to make heavy lifts.

•The committee shall regularly review the activities at the place of employment that may cause or aggravate musculoskeletal injuries.

•Where a worker may be at risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries, the worker shall be instructed in manual lifting, the safe performance of the task including proper work practices and procedures, equipment and PPE.