The common cold Workplace noise Slips, Trips, and Falls Repetitive Motion Injuries Manual Material Handling and Your Health Immediate effects on health Short-term effects of MMH are accidental injury and fatigue. Accidental injury includes wounds and bruises from falling and colliding with objects. Fatigue causes discomfort, and its effects accrue over time, causing fatigue to decrease workers' response time making them more likely have accidents. Further, fatigue contributes to serious injuries that worsen progressively. These injuries can develop into long-term health problems.
Back injury can occur from a single incident, such as a fall.
More common for MMH workers is injury resulting from repetitive motions and stain. The safest range is between knee and waist height. Whole-body vibration is particularly dangerous to the spine and should be avoided when heavy lifting is involved. In general, lifting strength in women is less than men. But there is a range of individual difference, and some women can lift as much or more than some men.