Bone, Joint and Muscle Injuries
When recovery efforts are underway after a disaster, people can get injured by improperly lifting heavy loads or removing debris. People want to get their homes and lives restored as quickly as possible, but often times they don’t exercise caution and try to tackle heavy lifting jobs without assistance or proper lifting techniques leading to muscle strains or pulls.
In addition to moving heavy objects, recovery often involves the use of striking tools such as hammers and crowbars. The repetitive use of these tools run the risk of injuring fingers, toes and other body parts. Care should be taken when using these tools in confined or crowded work areas to avoid injury to self and others.
Follow these tips to avoid injuries:
- Use teams of two or more to move bulky objects
- Avoid lifting any materials that weigh more than 50 lbs. per person
- Use proper lifting techniques or lifting devices when possible
- Wear work gloves, closed or steel toe shoes, and long pants
If an injury occurs, seek urgent or emergency care at one of our convenient locations or schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists.