Back pain in the workplace

Back pain is a fairly common problem in the UK. In fact 80% of adults will suffer back pain at some point in their adult life. In 2007/2008 4.5 million working days were lost in the UK through back pain.

Back pain can arise in many work situations and is more common in tasks that involve:

• Heavy manual labour
• Manual handling in awkward places, like delivery work
• Repetitive tasks such as manual packing of goods
• Sitting in front of a computer for a long period of time especially if your work station is not correctly arranged or adjusted to suit your needs.
• Driving long distances or driving over rough ground, particularly if your seat is not, or cannot be, properly adjusted.

How is it caused?

There are lots of ways you can harm your back:

• Repetitive or heavy lifting
• Bending and twisting
• Exerting too much force
• Poor working conditions
• High job demands and lack of control
• Not recognising symptoms and taking action

Here are some basic practical tips for lifting:

• Your first step should always be to consider using a handling aid.
• If you have to lift the load yourself, start with a good posture. Resist stooping or squatting, it's better to slightly bend you back, hips and knees.
• Adopt a stable position. Feet should be apart with one leg slightly forward to maintain balance.
• Get a good hold. Hug the load, ideally with the heaviest side of the load next to your body.
• Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially when your back is bent.
• Look ahead. Once the load is held securely, don't look down at it.
• If you need to adjust the load, put it down first.