Does your job require you to move or otherwise handle heavy drums on a regular basis? A standard 200-litre (55-gallon) drum can easily hold 500-600 pounds, and that’s not taking into account the actual weight of the drum itself. Workers who are forced to lift and handle drums such as these are naturally at risk of developing a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including back pain.

The Growing Problem of MSDs

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8 out of 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. It may consist of dull, aching sensation that subsides after a while, or it can be chronic, excruciating pain that prevents the individual from working at his or her job. It’s such a problem, in fact, that the Global Burden of Disease ranks lower back pain as the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Of course, back pain isn’t the only type of MSD from which workers may suffer. The term “musculoskeletal disorder” refers to any injury involving the joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, nerves and soft tissue. Lacerations and bruises are not classified as MSDs, but repetitive strain injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tarsal tunnel syndrome typically are.

How To Prevent MSDs When Lifting Drums

Workers shouldn’t have to place themselves at risk for back pain or other types of the MSDs from lifting drums. Using mobile drum lifting equipment, workers can move and manipulate drums without placing undue stress on their bodies. These machines take the burden of lifting heavy drums off the worker’s shoulder; thus, reducing the risk of MSDs and other injuries.

Mobile drum lifting equipment lives up to its namesake by mechanically lifting heavy drums and maneuvering them to the desired location. Granted, this task can be be performed manually by workers, but it’s both dangerous and careless for workers to handle such heavy and awkwardly shaped objects.

I know what you’re probably thinking: drums come in a variety of different sizes, weights and diameters, so how is lifting equipment able to perform this task? The lifting equipment offered at EngineeredErgonomics.com is designed to fit any drum size, diameter, weight and material. So regardless of your specific applications, you can rest assured knowing it will serve its intended function.

In addition to reducing the risk of worker injury, mobile drum lifting equipment may also improve productivity and efficiency in the workplace. These machines can quickly move and manipulate heavy drums in a fraction of the time it would take a worker to perform the same task.