Frequent reaches are a hazard because extending the arm creates a weak position with regard to arm strength. Frequent reaches while supporting a load in the hands increases the risk of developing acute shoulder, upper arm, and upper back muscle and tendon fatigue and injury such as strains, sprains, and tears. Allow company employees loading the delivery trucks to place cylinders in the first tier of the lower bays, thus controlling for extended reaches by employees unloading cylinders from the delivery truck and decreasing the vertical distance the cylinder must be lifted. Provide administrative controls to reduce the frequency of lifting. Institute two-man delivery teams.
Employees can rotate tasks every hour.
A two-man delivery team allows for one employee to be positioned inside the bay and hand a load to the second employee standing on the ground. This reduces the vertical distance a load is lifted by any one employee and controls extended reaches. General Solutions for All Hazards Listed Above Educate employees on the basics of body biomechanics and the importance of maintaining the body in an ergonomically neutral position. Generally, the torso should not be bent forward farther than 6 to 10 degrees from vertical, reaches should be limited to shoulder height vertically and 16 to 18 inches horizontally. The task should be able to be performed with the elbows in close to the torso and the wrist should not be bent either up or down, or to either side.