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Training won't prevent back pain

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Training won't prevent back pain

If employers do not lift a finger to reduce manual handling at work and just rely on training in 'safe' lifting they'll not stop workplace back injuries, researchers have concluded. Commenting on study findings published last week on the British Medical Journal (BMJ) website, 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.' He added: '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.' The authors of the Finnish study said a 'no lifting' policy might be more effective than training in correct lifting techniques. They reached this conclusion after looking at eleven studies: eight studies dealt with health workers who manually handled patients, the other three looked at baggage handlers and postal workers. All the participants in the studies worked in jobs where there was strain on the back and where there was the potential for alleviating any strain through an intervention such as training. None of the workers in the studies were actively seeking treatment for back pain. The researchers found no difference in back pain in studies where one group received training and the other did not. Training compared to minor advice (a video) showed no effect on back pain after a year. The researchers wrote: '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.'

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