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Descending Stairs Safely When Carrying Heavy Items

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Workers Carrying Board up Narrow Stairs

Company wellness management should be an important priority for any business owner or manager. With many tasks, employees do not face elevated health risks. This can make wellness management fairly easy. Tasks like descending stairs are another story. Navigating stairs when carrying heavy items can be a challenging task anywhere. This task can be more difficult in a workplace where other workers and equipment can get in the way. Workers in businesses like moving companies can also face higher risk by repeating this task over and over again. In these situations, proper planning and awareness from you and your workers can be essential for ultimate success. Certain techniques can also help with worker injury prevention while descending stairs.

Techniques for safely descending stairs with heavy items

  • Maintain a center of gravity — Keeping your center of gravity is important for stability. This can help reduce the risk of stumbling. Keeping a wide stance can help stabilize your center of gravity. Position your feet shoulder width apart to provide a stable base of support.

  • Use proper support — Properly supporting the heavy items being carried is key. Keeping a steady grip with both hands can help keep the items secure. Keeping heavy items close to your chest can make them easier to carry. If there are handrails available, you can use these for additional support when needed. Take it slow, descending one stair at a time.

  • Seek necessary assistance — Some items should not be carried by only one person. If an item is very heavy or unwieldy, seeking assistance from another worker is the best course. As a manager, it can help to encourage cooperation among workers. If you have mechanical aids like dollies or an elevator, make sure to put these to use as well. Effectively using what you have available can help ensure that the job is done quickly and safely.

Work-Fit can train your employees on descending stairs safely with heavy items

Certified athletic trainers from Work-Fit can help teach your employees how to complete tasks like transporting heavy items. Our expert team can train your team to work more efficiently and safely. This can benefit your employees by reducing their risk of injury. It can also help your company by reducing health care costs and increasing your workforce productivity.

Contact our team today for more information about our services or to learn how we can help keep your employees working fit.