Construction Industry Accounts For 30,000 New Back Injuries A Year

This week is National Back Care Awareness Week. Organised by the UK’s National Back Pain Association, Backcare, the theme this year, is “Builder’s Back Pain”.

According to Backcare, the construction industry represents five per cent of the UK’s workforce, and among these workers 30,000 new back injuries are generated every year.

Alison Starkey, Superintendent Physiotherapist at Humber NHS Foundation Trust commented:

“We are delighted to support Back Care Awareness Week which aims to raise awareness of the causes and treatments of this debilitating condition that costs the NHS £1.3 million every day.

“Physical factors such as heavy physical work, frequent bending, twisting, lifting, pulling and pushing, repetitive work, static postures and vibrations are all causes of back pain.

“The financial burden of back pain is enormous – it is the leading cause of sickness absence from work. According to the Office for National Statistics, sickness absence for back pain, neck, upper limb problems and other musculoskeletal problems cost the UK economy £37 million a day. That’s a staggering £19 billion every year.”

With four out of every five adults experiencing back pain at some point in their lives, it is important people know where they can get help. Humber NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of NHS services including a new community pain management service for those suffering with back pain.

• Hull or East Riding PhysioDirect – a telephone based service that includes assessment, triage, and self-management programmes. People can contact the service direct or be referred by their GP.
PhysioHull Direct (Self-referral and advice service): 01482 300003
Physiotherapy Direct (East Riding): 01377 208300

• PhysioHull/Joint Effort – for more complex problems that don’t necessarily require surgery. Patients may require treatment such as acupuncture or corticosteroid injections delivered by very specialised physiotherapists at clinics in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. To be referred to this service, people must speak to their GP.
http://www.physiohull.nhs.uk/
Tel. 01482 300003
http://www.humber.nhs.uk/services/JointEffort
Tel. 01482 478888
Email. HNF-TR.JointEffort@nhs.net

• New Humber Community Pain Service is available across Hull and the East Riding for people that have experienced moderate pain for over three months. The service’s highly skilled multi-professional core team (including a specialist physiotherapist, occupational therapist and psychologist in pain management) undertake assessments and deliver individual care management plans and group work programmes with the client. To be referred to this service, people must speak to their GP.
http://www.humber.nhs.uk/services/pain
Tel. 01262 423085
Email: HNF-TR.Pain@nhs.net

Alison continues:

“As back pain accounts for half of all chronic pain people suffer, our new community pain service will I am sure be well received. Although we have lots of figures highlighting the cost of back pain, we cannot put a cost on human suffering.”

Top tips for preventing back pain on a building site:

• Cut down on carrying.
• Have materials delivered close to where they will be used
• Try to store heavier materials at waist height.
• Raise your work to waist level, if you can.
• Make sure floors and walkways are clear and dry. Slips and trips are a big cause of back injuries.
• Take rest breaks. When you are tired, you can get injured more easily.
• Use carts, dollies, forklifts, and hoists to move materials – not your back.
• Use carrying tools with handles to get a good grip on odd-shaped loads.
• If materials weigh more than about 50 pounds, do not lift them by yourself. Get help from another worker or use a cart.
• When lifting or carrying materials, keep the load as close to your body as you can.
• Try not to twist when lifting and lowering materials. Turn your whole body instead.
• Lift and lower materials in a smooth, steady way. Try not to jerk to lift. When you pick up materials off the ground, try supporting yourself by leaning on something while lifting. Also don’t bend over; instead, kneel on one knee and pull the load up on to your knee before standing. Make sure to wear knee pads when you kneel.