No Evidence Heavy Lifting Training Prevents MSD & Back Injury

Research conducted to determine whether advice and training on working techniques and lifting equipment prevent back pain in jobs that involve heavy lifting, concludes that there is no evidence to show that such training reduces or removes the risk of injury!

That was the startling findings published last month and reported on the British Medical Journal (BMJ) website.

The website gave further details of the research methods and considered, " Interventions aimed to modify techniques for lifting and handling heavy objects or patients and including measurements for back pain, consequent disability, or sick leave as the main outcome were considered for the review."

The methods utilised included "Eight studies looked at lifting and moving patients, and three studies were conducted among baggage handlers or postal workers. Those in control groups received no intervention or minimal training, physical exercise, or use of back belts."

The findings of the research showed that, " None of the comparisons in randomised trials (17 720 participants) yielded significant differences. In the secondary analysis, none of the cohort studies (772 participants) had significant results, which supports the results of the randomised trials."

The conclusion on the research findings is unequivocal:

" There is no evidence to support use of advice or training in working techniques with or without lifting equipment for preventing back pain or consequent disability. The findings challenge current widespread practice of advising workers on correct lifting technique."

Continuing they say,

"The risk of back pain might be related not to incorrect handling techniques but to other work related factors inherent in the populations studied (such as non-neutral, bent, or rotated trunk postures without lifting or handling, or psychosocial strain). We were unable to test this hypothesis, however, because none of the studies described the context of the intervention in sufficient detail to enable further analysis."

But before managers and unions safety reps give up the idea that training into safe manual handling methods can be done away with completely, the researchers state,

"Many health professionals are involved in training and advising workers on lifting and handling. Even though there may be other reasons to continue this practice, this review does not provide evidence that it prevents back pain. There is a need for more and high quality research with standardised outcome measurement, appropriate power, and adjustment for the cluster effect. Such studies should be directed at a "no lifting policy."

Also we need a better understanding of the causal chain between exposure to biomechanical stressors at work and the subsequent development of back pain to enable the development of new and innovative ways to prevent back pain."

Commenting on the published research which suggests that training people how to lift heavy objects is failing to prevent back injuries, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

"This is an important piece of research. It shows that employers shouldn't be relying on their employees lifting heavy weights 'correctly' to prevent back injury, but instead should be reducing the weight of things that need to be lifted manually. The Health and Safety Executive will now have to review its advice on manual handling as a matter of urgency.
'If employers want to protect their staff from the pain of back strain, they should not be banking on their staff using the correct techniques to lift heavy objects at work. The best way to keep staff injury free is to make sure that everyone understands the importance of not lifting heavy weights on their own."

BMJ full report here

Source: BMJ / TUC


 
 
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