Safety Resources

Soft tissue injuries — manual materials handling/lifting injuries

Claims related to manual handling include strains, hernia ruptures and sprains. These injuries are  mainly associated with using or moving machinery, materials and equipment. Soft tissue injuries account for 71% of all injuries for landscape contractors.

Many of the manual material handling overexertion injuries are the result of employees bending, lifting and reaching throughout the day. The average employee who bends 100 times a day, working 250 days a year will bend 25,000 times annually, exacerbating the risk factor and increasing the probability of developing low back pain.

The following materials describe ways to prevent soft tissue injuries:

• Motion is Money
• Drug Free Workplace (Employees), SORCE On Demand (cost associated)*
• Drug Free Workplace (Employees), SORCE On Demand (Spanish) (cost associated)*
• Drug Free Workplace (Managers), SORCE On Demand (cost associated)*
• Safety Tailgate Training Manual (cost associated)
• 180 Safety Talks for Supervisors Booklet (cost associated)
• $afety $aves: Practical Ideas to Save Money and Lives CD (cost associated)
• Lawn Care & Grounds Maintenance Training DVD (cost associated)
• Maintenance Equipment Training DVD Series (cost associated)
• Landscape Construction Equipment Training DVD Series (cost associated)
• Preventing Pain & Injury in the Green Industry CD (cost associated)
• Safety Made Simple CD (cost associated
• PLANET/OSHA Safety Tip Sheets #1,#2,#4

For more information on CNA’s Risk Control services, visit www.cna.com/riskcontrol.

* To access a SORCE On Demand class, you must first set up a free account through the PureSafety webpage.