|
"According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), back injuries account for one of every five injuries and illnesses in the workplace. Eighty percent of these injuries occur to the lower back and are associated with manual materials handling tasks. BLS further states that re-aggravation of a previous injury almost always results from a new incident which involves the employee (i.e. slip, twist, trip, extended reach). Lifting-related injuries include sprains, strains, neural related, neuromuscular related injuries and/or bone related injuries. These injuries can affect any part of the body, but the majority occur to the lower back."
Excerpt from University of Virginia study
"The custodial work consists of many activities that require lifting, bending and a variety of other tasks which may place a worker at risk for back injury. ... It is estimated that 20 to 30% of all workers' compensation claims are back injury related costing over $1 billion. These injuries also lead to approximately 12 million lost work days (Sanders, 225). In all, these injuries cost the nation between $20 and $25 billion annually. Here at Cornell, 49% of workers' compensation claims dollars are spent on back injuries. This amounted to a $4 million cost for the university over the last ten years."
Excerpt from Cornell University Study
|
|
