If you've ever walked through a department or grocery store while employees were stocking shelves or moving supplies, you've probably witnessed a back belt in action.
Many employers recommend or require back belts to reduce employee injuries and injury claims.
Results showed that neither frequent back belt use nor a store policy requiring such use had any significant effect on back injury claim rates or self-reported back pain. In 1998, a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey revealed that Americans suffered nearly 300,000 back injuries due to overexertion, and resulting in lost workdays. As this study shows, back belts probably aren't the answer to this growing problem. Wassell JT, Gardner LI, Landsittel DP, et al. A prospective study on back belts for prevention of back pain and injury.