Truckers in New Jersey and throughout the country may be at risk of injuring their shoulders when cranking lifts up and down. However, researchers say that there may be a method to do so while reducing the chances of an injury. A study of a dozen male truckers going through the cranking process revealed that they should lift a trailer while standing parallel to it. Doing so uses more of their body strength and puts less pressure on the shoulder.
When lowering a trailer, an individual should crank frontally because there is less resistance when doing so. The research found that there is less chance of rotating the shoulder too many times and causing ligament and other damage. When observing the truckers, researchers were focused on 16 muscles that have the greatest impact on shoulder movement. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said that there were more than 70,000 shoulder injuries in 2016.
The research was conducted as part of a joint effort by individuals from North Carolina State and the Department of Labor & Industries in Washington State. The results of the study were published on Oct. 3 in the journal Applied Ergonomics.
Workers who are injured because of repetitive stress or because of actions that violated OSHA regulations may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits may help to pay an injured worker’s medical bills or provide a worker with a portion of his or her lost wages. Those who are permanently injured may be entitled to benefits on a permanent basis. This might be determined as part of a court proceeding or other method of monitoring a worker’s condition. An attorney may represent injured workers who are seeking benefits or are looking to preserve their current benefits.