A comprehensive lifting policy for the prevention of back complaints among home helpers

A survey of 918 home helpers, which included visits to patients' homes, revealed that a high proportion of work consisted of heavy lifting and standing:

• almost three-quarters of home helpers suffered lowerback pains at least once;
• in one year, 4,725 working days (involving150 workers)were lost due to lower back problems;
• neck, shoulder, wrist, middle back, hip and thigh painswere common;
• equipment was rarely used for the lifting of people;
• home helpers and other informal caregivers, such as familyand friends, are very creative in finding ways to reducethe strain on their backs;
• patients often resented the use of lifting elevators;
• little information is provided on the use of lifting equipment.