Premiere hosts proper lifting techniques workshop

With the trucking industry moving into its busiest season, especially for the moving and storage sector, the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association figured it was a good time to refresh everyones knowledge about how to do their job safely.

Thats why the Association organized the Proper Lifting Techniques Workshop, held on May 13 at Premiere Van Lines in Burnside.

With this time of year also comes the potential for an increase in workplace injuries, which means an increase in costs to trucking companies and the industry as a whole, not to mention having a worker who is injured and now off work, says Linda Corkum, executive director of the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association. More than 50 per cent of all injuries occurring in the moving and storage industry are to the back area due to improper lifting.

Several moving companies, in conjunction with the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association and the Canadian Back Institute of Bedford, developed the Proper Lifting Techniques program specifically for those working in the moving and storage industry. This program is designed to assist employers and employees in reducing back injuries.

We invited our members in the moving and storage industry along with their employees to participate in this very interactive and informative workshop to help avoid potential back injuries from occurring this year, Corkum says. Not only does this benefit employers and their employees, it benefits the industry as a whole and thus helps control costs.

Jason Buchanan, president of Premiere Van Lines on John Savage Drive, agreed to act as host of the half-day event. The activities were carried out in the warehouse using furniture, refrigerators and boxes of various sizes to simulate the types of actual lifting movements carried out many times during an employees typical day.

Scot Bower and Mark Williams of CBI facilitated the event, ensuring everyone participated by building fun as well as learning into the program. Corkum says the Association received many positive comments from the participants and is planning to schedule another one soon.

The Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Associations membership in Nova Scotia includes more than 1,100 companies in the following categories: general freight, moving and storage, liquid bulk, dry bulk and refrigerated reefers. Details of upcoming events are posted on its Web site: www.nstsa.ca.

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