That's the question the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health is asking?And the answer is iffy.
Back injuries account for nearly 20 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses and cost an estimated $20 billion to $50 billion annually. Given these numbers, many companies that require their employers to do heavy lifting have started using back belts and back supports.
But there's little scientific evidence to support the notion that these belts actually prevent injuries, according to NIOSH. In fact, they may actually provide a sense of false security, leading workers and their employers to abandon more effective back injury prevention methods.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) believes that the most effective way to prevent back injury is to implement an ergonomics program that focuses on redesigning the work environment and work tasks to reduce the hazards of lifting.
The Institute …does not recommend the use of back belts to prevent injuries among workers who have never been injured
Tags: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, back injury, back injury prevention, back belt injury, workers' compensation
