Moving Home: The Right Way to Lift Heavy Goods
Posted on 08/09/2014
It can be very easy to injure yourself when moving heavy items during a relocation. When moving a wardrobe or heavy kitchen appliance down stairs or into a removal van, there are certain techniques you can employ to make sure the load is distributed correctly around your body when lifting, to prevent any injuries.
Don’t try and lift something very heavy alone
Moving something really heavy alone, like a fridge for example, is best not attempted. Certain things will definitely require more than one person to lift and load safely, so make sure you have help on hand. Removal companies will usually handle the difficult items, and are trained, so it’s often better to let them do their job. Hiring a man in a van will give you the extra help you need, or ask friends or family to help out.
How to lift heavy goods
The first thing to do is check how heavy an item is, and whether you think you are able to lift it. Simply giving the item a nudge with your foot, or lifting a corner will give you an idea of how heavy it is, and whether you can lift it. If you can’t move it at all, don’t try it alone. To correctly lift an item, bend your knees and squat. Try and get the object as close as possible to your body, and when lifting be sure to keep your back straight, lifting slowly with your head up.
Carrying heavy goods
Once you have the item secure, hold it as close to your body as possible. This will distribute the load more evenly. If you try and hold something heavy away from your body, this puts great stress on your arms and other areas, and can lead to strains or injury. Holding the item close makes things a lot easier and safer. Make sure when carrying, that you lead with your feet when turning corners, and try not to move your waist too much. Keep your body straight as much as possible.
Loading, and putting down
Things will be slightly easier if loading into a van, but don’t try and do everything in one trip. Get everything outside by the van first, have a short break, then continue loading. When placing an item on the ground, reverse the process you used to pick it. Squat down with knees bent, holding the item close to your body, and keep your back straight.
Don’t rush
It can be tempting to try and hurry things along, but avoid this temptation. Pushing yourself too hard, especially if you are not used to heavy lifting, can result in injury. Take your time with the heavy goods, and if you need to take a breather then do so. Your body will tell you when you need a short break!
Injury
Should you hurt yourself in anyway while lifting, then stop immediately. While this might be frustrating, you can cause serious damage if you continue to try loading and carrying items. Some slight strains and muscle pain is likely to be present after any lifting, but if the pain persists or happens during the lifting, stop straight away and consult a doctor as soon as you can.
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