The better we understand the origin of a problem, the easier it is to take preventive action. Before delving into the subject, let me give you my favorite definition of prevention: ensuring nothing happens. You have to admit, it perfectly evokes what prevention should be.
In more scientific terms, this definition refers to primary prevention. Secondary prevention involves taking action after the problem to help the employee heal and correct the workplace factors contributing to the injury. Tertiary prevention means waiting too long before taking action and acting now to prevent the problem from worsening.
As you can easily guess, primary prevention remains the most cost-effective strategy for employers and employees.
Acting on primary prevention means acting quickly. The best way to make this happen is to train in-house employees to become capable of assessing injury risks and taking swift corrective action.
This may be a complicated task. Still, once you understand the basic principle, you can apply your new knowledge quickly and effectively.
All you need to do is understand two simple things: the center of gravity and the center of mass.
The center of gravity is where the weight of your body is centralized. It's located around your navel. On the other hand, the center of mass is the direction in which your body weight is directed.
When you stand with your legs slightly apart and upright, your center of mass is aligned with your center of gravity, and no excessive force is applied to your muscles, tendons, and joints.
See video number 1
However, if I lean my body forward, my center of mass shifts in the same direction. As a result, it's no longer aligned with my center of gravity. Suppose I don't move my feet to prevent my center of gravity from joining my center of mass; since this would imply a forward fall, my back muscles must contract to stay in this precarious position. My back then bears a heavy load, and the risk of injury increases considerably.
The best way to prevent this is to place support close to the direction of the center of mass. This way, the simple act of moving one leg forward instantly solves the problem.
See video number 2
Let's imagine another situation now. I'm standing upright. My center of mass is aligned with my center of gravity. I hold a 5-pound weight in my right hand and lift my right arm.
Automatically, my center of mass moves toward the weight in my hand.
My back and shoulder muscles go into overdrive to compensate for the loss of balance. To reduce it, I act in three different and successive ways. I bend my elbow to bring the weight closer to my body. It's now closer to my center of gravity. I move one leg forward to widen my support on the ground and use the other hand to support the weight. This eliminated the excessive pressure applied to my back and shoulder. In this way, I eliminate the risk of injury.
This simple principle of musculoskeletal injury prevention involves minimizing the distance between the center of gravity and the center of mass and requires two main actions:
Move the arms as close to the body as possible to bring the center of mass closer to the center of gravity. Move one foot towards the center of mass to obtain a broader, more stable, and solid footing.
Also, support the load with both hands to reduce the strain on the muscles, tendons, and joints of just one arm.
See video number 3
Now that you know the basics, take the time to analyze your own way of working, your colleagues, or your employees, and you'll quickly discover how to improve your working methods.
Of course, movements vary greatly from task to task, but these basic principles remain the same.
Remember, the best way for you to take preventive action is to be able to apply these strategies internally as quickly and as often as necessary. Why wait for a problem to arise when you can ensure it never does?