Lifting

This safety talk is designed for discussion leaders to use in preparing safety meetings. Set a specific time and date for your safety meeting. Publicize your meeting so as many people as possible can attend.

Review this safety talk before the meeting and become familiar with its content. Make notes about the points made in this talk that pertain to your workplace. You should be able to present the material in your own words and lead the discussion without reading it. Collect whatever materials and props you will need ahead of time. Try to use equipment in your workplace to demonstrate your points.

Beginning the Meeting:

Remember to give the safety talk in your own words and to use this document merely as a guide. The purpose of a safety meeting is to initiate discussion of safety problems and provide solutions to those problems. Encourage employees to discuss hazards or potential hazards they encounter on the job. Ask them to suggest ways to improve safety in their area.

Do not let the meeting turn into a “gripe session” about unrelated topics. A discussion leader must make sure to stay on topic and discussing other, unrelated topics wastes time and can ruin the effectiveness of your safety meeting. At the end of the meeting, ask employees to sign the attached sign-in sheet as a record that they attended the safety meeting. Keep this talk and attendance sheet on file for your records.

General Discussion:

Do you realize you may be risking serious injury many times a day and not even know it? Well, it is true if you do not lift correctly. Improper lifting may cause back injuries that can take months or even years to heal. Sometimes they are permanent and disabling. A little know how; however, can enable you to lift correctly.

Preparing to Lift:

Give the load a once-over. If it looks too heavy, do not be afraid to ask for help. Be sure you are wearing safety shoes. There is always the chance of dropping something on your toes. If the object has rough or sharp edges, wear a good, tough pair of work gloves. They will give you a good grip and protect your hand

Making the Lift:

Crouch down with the load between your legs and get a good grip on the object. As you rise, lift with your legs. Keep your back vertical and the load as close to your body as possible. If you have to place the load to your left or to your right, do not twist your body.

Move your feet instead. When you have to lower a load, simply reverse the knees bent, back vertical procedure.
Review:

Let us quickly review what we said about lifting:

Do not lift more than you can handle. Ask for help with heavy loads.
Wear safety shoes.
If the object is rough or sharp, wear gloves.
Lift with your legs, not your back.
Keep the load close to your body.
Do not twist your body when placing a load to one side or the other. Move your feet instead.
When it comes to lifting, do not break your back. Instead, lift right and give your back a break.

General Safety Review:

This is a time to review all safety concerns, not just today's topic:

Are you aware of any safety hazards from any other personnel? Are some personnel creating hazards that are putting other personnel at risk? If so, discuss what you intend to do to address the issue(s).
Do we have any other safety business? Discuss any past issues or problems. Report on any progress of investigations and action taken.
Have there been any accidents, near misses, or complaints? Discuss any that have happened since the last safety meeting.
Recognize safety contributions made by employees.

Please remember, we want to hear from you about any health and safety issues that come up. If we do not know about problems, we cannot take action to fix them.