Forklift Ergonomics 4: Good Habits are Hard to Brake
Posted in: Forklift Ergonomics Printable Version: Forklift Ergonomics 4: Good Habits are Hard to Brake.pdf• Ergonomics is about fitting your forklift to your body size and shape. It’s also about understanding how the human body operates and understanding its limitations.
• It’s fair to say that the human body isn’t meant to sit on a vibrating seat for hours and hours and hours every day. In reality, forktrucks break down frequently and they ARE designed to do this.
• Is it time to implement some good habits to maintain our body?
• Stretch breaks – if your workflow allows, consider injecting some 30 second stretches intermittently throughout your workday. Hand stretches, shoulder stretches, neck stretches… Your body will thank you.
• Short breaks after lifting – the human spine doesn’t like sitting bent forward for a long time followed by heavy lifting. Respect your back by giving it a few minutes between getting off your vehicle and lifting something heavy.
• Microbreaks – These short (10-15 s) breaks allow your muscles time to get some oxygen and recover from repetitive work. It can be as simple as taking your hands off of the steering wheel or your feet off the pedals if you are waiting for something.