Their Aching Backs

“Not another one!” moaned Jerry, supervisor of the shelf-stocking unit at the SuperDuper Mart, a 60,000-square-foot discount hardware and lumber supply store. He had just received a call from the company doctor, reporting that one of his crew had suffered a severe strain in the lumbar region of his back. Not only would this employee be off duty for a week or two, the injury would also be recorded as a lost-time accident. Jerry would hear lots about that from his boss, especially since the company’s insurer had been threatening to raise its premium due to the high incidence of back-related injuries at SuperDuper Mart.

To forestall further incidents, Jerry immediately toured the facility, stopping to admonish each of his crew. His message was essentially the same for everyone:

“Too many of you are going to the company doctor complaining about your aching backs. When you were hired, you knew you had to lift 50- to 70-pound cartons on a regular basis.

“There’s no excuse for all these back injuries if you will only be more careful when you’re lifting heavy cartons.

“Furthermore, I’m ordering a batch of those new back-support belts so everyone will have one. Don’t let me catch you not wearing it.

“Remember, from now on around here, it’s going to be safety first.”

Analysis

Despite these admonishments, employees in Jerry’s department continued to have frequent back injuries. What might Jerry have done to be more effective in reducing back injuries in his department? Of the five alternatives listed below, which do you think might be most effective? Rank them on a scale from 1 (most effective) to 5 (least effective). You may add another alternative, if you wish. Be prepared to justify your rankings.

a. Post a summary of his message on the bulletin board and hang “safety first” signs throughout the shop.

b. Be sure to wear the new back-support belt himself.

c. Hold regular safety meetings with his crew so that he can keep emphasizing his safety message.

d. Train or retrain all employees in proper lifting techniques.

e. Appoint an employee safety committee to study the lifting problems in the store and recommend appropriate safety equipment and protective clothing.