A practical guide to reducing on-the-job injuries -

How to minimize and prevent lifting injuries in the workplace

Workplace injuries don’t just hurt employees, they can take a serious toll on a company’s bottom line, too. And when it comes to lifting injuries, the numbers are hard to ignore: every year, over a million workers in the U.S. are sidelined by preventable injuries. Back pain alone makes up 20 percent of all workplace injuries and a quarter of workers’ compensation claims. That’s a lot of strain on both people and budgets!

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So, how can employers help their teams lift smarter and safer? The answer starts with understanding the risks, designing better systems and making every lift count. Let’s go over some practical ways businesses can create safer workplaces and, in the process, protect their most valuable asset: their people.

Why lifting injuries happen

On-the-job injuries, like those caused by lifting, often sneak up on you. It’s not always about one heavy box or an awkward angle. More often, it’s the result of repetitive motions, poor posture or a lack of basic training. Think about how often employees twist or reach without thinking twice. Over time, these small strains can add up to big problems.

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) points out that awkward postures, like bending or twisting while lifting, are major culprits of on-the-job injuries. And then there’s the weight itself. Without proper tools or support, lifting anything heavy becomes a gamble with employee’s health. For employers, these risks don’t just mean downtime, they mean higher insurance costs and a stressed-out workforce. Encourage your clients to avoid lifting injuries by doing the following:

Start with observation

Before you can fix a problem, you have to understand it. Tell your clients to take a day (or a week) to simply observe how their team handles lifting tasks. Are they straining to reach shelves? Twisting their backs to place heavy items? These small habits can often lead to big injuries.

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To get even more specific, tools like the NIOSH Lifting Equation can help your clients evaluate risks by measuring important factors like the load’s weight, the distance of the lift and how often the movement is repeated. If they notice a warehouse worker lifting heavy boxes onto shelves all day, it might be time to rethink that setup. Something as simple as adjusting shelf heights or adding a turntable could save a lot of pain — literally.

Design workspaces that work for people

Once they’ve identified the risks, it’s time to get creative. OSHA recommends designing jobs that fit the worker, not the other way around. That could mean adding equipment like pallet jacks, hoists or adjustable-height tables to reduce manual lifting. It might also mean rethinking workflows to reduce the number of lifts altogether.

Even simple changes, like organizing workstations to keep tools and materials within easy reach, can make a big difference. Think about it this way: the less bending, twisting and straining their team has to do, the less likely they are to get hurt.

Train for success

You wouldn’t expect someone to run a marathon without training, so why expect them to lift heavy loads without proper guidance? Safe lifting techniques — like keeping loads close to the body, lifting with the legs and avoiding twisting — should be second nature. But the only way to make that happen is through regular, hands-on training.

And training is not just for new hires. It’s something that needs to happen regularly, especially as tasks, processes or equipment change. When employees feel confident in their techniques, they’re more likely to avoid on-the-job injuries — and your clients’ workplaces become safer overall.

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How to plan and execute individual lifts

Once your clients’ workspaces and workflows are optimized, it’s time to focus on the lifts themselves. Even the best systems won’t succeed without proper guidance. Before lifting, workers should:

Assess the weight and stability of the item.
Ensure the path is clear of obstructions.
Use tools like dollies or pallet jacks when possible.

OSHA stresses the importance of checking an item’s weight first and considering whether assistance or mechanical help is necessary. However, if the worker can safely lift the item alone, they should aim to lift with their legs, not their back — keeping loads close to their bodies and avoiding twisting motions.

When executing a lift, emphasize maintaining a solid stance with feet shoulder-width apart. Bending at the knees, not the waist, and keeping a smooth, controlled motion can significantly reduce the risk of strain. Together, these small adjustments can help prevent serious on-the-job injuries, and that’s a win for everyone.

Why prevention pays off

Investing in safety isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart business move. Based on historical data, we know ergonomic improvements can lead to a 4-fold return on investment. That’s because fewer injuries mean fewer claims, less downtime and a happier, more productive workforce.

But beyond the numbers, it’s about building trust. When safety is baked into the company culture and employees know their well-being is a priority, they’re more likely to stay engaged and loyal. And that’s something you can’t put a price on.