Back belts were a topic in this month’s Safety News Letter, e-published by our Human Resources Department – Safety Division. The article reported in 1994, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published the results of two studies they conducted on the use of back belts. 

Those publications included, Workplace Use of Back Belts, Review and Recommendations (Pub. No. 94-122) and Back Belts – Do They Prevent Injury (Pub. No. 94-127).  From these two studies, NIOSH concluded that there was insufficient evidence to recommend the use of back belts as a back injury prevention measure.

 

NIOSH has since conducted a large epidemiologic study and two laboratory evaluations to determine more conclusively the effects of back belt use. After consideration of the results of these additional studies and evaluations, NIOSH determined that they do not provide evidence to change their earlier conclusions. (Go to http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics  and scroll down to Back Belts and Back Injury Section for access to the referenced NIOSH studies and publications, plus other articles on back belts). 

 

Also, for those of you blog readers who drive old Volvos and wear Birkenstock shoes, I have included a link to the off topic report on alternative computer keyboards. If you have already jumped-on this bandwagon, discounting any conspiracy theories, you are probably wondering why everyone else hasn’t. Read this report for an update.

 

Our Riverside County Safety Division has also contacted the local Cal/OSHA Consultation Office to get their input regarding the use of back belts in the workplace. They advised that there are no current Cal/OSHA regulations that mandate or recommend the use of back belts and Cal/OSHA therefore does not require or recommend their use. They cited the above referenced NIOSH studies and publications to support Cal/OSHA’s position on back belt use. They also do not consider back belts to be considered personal protective equipment (PPE).  

Based on the above referenced NIOSH studies and publications, and Cal/OSHA’s current position regarding back belts, the Riverside County Safety Division has followed suit and does not advocate, recommend or promote the use of back belts by employees in County workplaces.

The County Safety Division believes training employees to utilize proper lifting techniques, employ the mechanical lifting assistance devices, and make informed decisions when lifting objects in the workplace is the best approach to preventing back injuries when performing manual material handling activities.

 

The Repetitive Motion Injury (RMI) safety training class offered by the County Safety Division, which is mandatory for all County employees, includes a section on Back Injury Prevention and provides information on proper lifting techniques. 

 

If your employer currently requires you to wear a back belt and/or does not provide training in proper lifting techniques you may have a false sense of confidence that there is no concern for on the job injury while going through your daily routine. You may want to check with your employer’s designated safety officer to get needed training, even if you only lift the occasional 5 gallon water bottle or box of copy machine paper.  

 

At Riverside County we believe that an ounce of prevention is a small price to pay for employee health and wellbeing. If you are not getting the same impression from the company you work for, it might be time for a (desert) job change.