Don't let the job take away the life you're working for.

From Brandon Glenn's Safirst newsletter on LinkedIn.

You work hard to provide for your family, build a career, and create opportunities for the people you care about.

You should also be able to enjoy those things.

Playing with your kids. Taking a weekend trip. Working on a project at home. Reaching retirement with the physical ability to do what you've spent years looking forward to.

That's why taking care of your body deserves a place in every jobsite safety conversation.

October is National Ergonomics Month, established by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. For construction, it's a chance to look closely at how we do the work, and what we can change to make it less physically demanding. HFES National Ergonomics Month

The strain can follow you home

Construction means lifting, carrying, kneeling, gripping, reaching, and working in tight spaces. Repeated heavy lifting and awkward positions can lead to back problems, shoulder injuries, tendinitis, and other musculoskeletal disorders. NIOSH: Ergonomics for Construction Workers

Some injuries happen in a single task. Others develop over time.

The consequences don't stay on the jobsite. A painful shoulder can wreck your sleep. A back injury can make a family outing difficult.

Protect your ability to enjoy your time off with the same intention you bring to earning your paycheck.

That starts before the lifting, carrying, or reaching begins.

Plan the task before you put your body into it

Before moving materials, think through the whole task.

Where is the load going? Is the route clear? Can equipment get close enough to help? Could the delivery have been staged closer to where the material gets installed?

Those conversations belong in planning, while there's still time to change the setup.

Supervisors, ask your crews one question: "What would make this task easier on your body?" The people doing the work should have a voice in how it gets organized.

Use the help available

Carts, material lifts, forklifts, and other handling equipment belong in the work plan when they fit the task.

If your company doesn't have the right equipment onsite, talk to your supervisor. Another contractor may be able to provide approved help, or the work may need to wait for suitable equipment.

Coordinate that help through the people responsible for the equipment. Confirm it suits the load and conditions, and that the operator is trained and authorized.

OSHA's forklift training rule includes an operator evaluation. Permission to borrow a machine doesn't establish competence to run it. 29 CFR 1910.178(l)

Asking for help should be normal

Nobody should feel pressured to prove their value by handling an awkward load alone.

For a team lift, agree on the route, the destination, and who gives the commands before anyone lifts. If the task still feels uncontrolled, stop and rethink the method.

Foremen and superintendents, your response matters. When someone asks for help, help solve the problem. Everyone nearby learns from it whether asking for help is actually supported on your project.

Make the safer approach practical

Telling a crew to use lifting assistance only works when that assistance is accessible.

Before assigning the task, confirm three things:

1. The method. The crew has an appropriate way to do it.
2. The equipment. It's onsite and available.
3. The time. The schedule allows the crew to use it.

Then check back with the workers. A plan that looked reasonable in the trailer may need adjusting once materials, access, and other trades enter the picture.

Before your next shift

Ask your crew: "What task puts the most strain on your body, and what could we change before you do it again?"

Choose one task. Listen to the crew. Make one practical improvement, then follow up on whether it helped.

Planning ahead, using the right tools, and asking for help are all part of building a career you can sustain.

Take care of the body that earns your living. You deserve to enjoy the life you're working for.

— Brandon Glenn