TXWCC Material Handling Guide

An ergonomic safety manual for proper material handling.

Manual Material Handling: An Ergonomic Approach

Although technology has advanced industrial production techniques, manual handling of materials has remained essentially the same. Most jobs require some handling, but about 10 percent require extensive manual materials handling.

Tightly linked to the manual handling of materials is the possibility of back injuries. Throughout the country, the number of workers’ compensation claims for back injuries remains high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, back injuries in the state of Texas account for 24% of workers’ compensation claims. The average compensation claim costs $15,000, but back injury claims can be much more expensive.

As staggering as these figures seem, there are other losses to consider. Lost income to employees, lost productivity for employer, and the pain, suffering and lengthy disabilities that go along with these injuries are all part of the cost.

Another consideration is inexperienced or…