WEIGHTLIFTING OR LUMBAR SUPPORT BELTS
                     IN MANUAL MATERIALS HANDLING WORK



Produced by Professional and Specialized Services and
the Occupational Health and Safety Branch, 
Ministry of Labour.
Disponible en fran¨ais.


INTRODUCTION:

The Ministry of Labour has received inquiries about the use of 
weightlifting or lumbar support belts or "back belts" in the workplace.  
The question asked is whether they will reduce the risk of low back 
injuries in jobs which involve the manual lifting and moving of materials.

These belts should not be used generally as a means of preventing back 
injuries.  They are suitable in certain well-defined circumstances 
(outlined below), but there is no evidence that they reduce the load on the 
back in materials handling work.

However, there is solid evidence that job redesign -- workplace changes 
based on ergonomics principles -- does reduce the load on the back and 
prevents back injuries.

BACKGROUND:

There are conflicting findings as to the usefulness of back belts in the 
scientific literature:

-  Some literature suggests that belts act to increase intra-abdominal 
   pressure during lifting.  In turn this is believed by some authors to 
   increase back support and consequently back stability. 

   On the other hand, the increase in intra-abdominal pressure causes an 
   increase in cardiovascular stress.  The wearing of the belts by people 
   with cardiovascular disease is not advised.  Moreover, the presence of 
   cardiovascular disease is not always apparent. 

-  Another possible advantage suggested by some authors is that the belts 
   are likely to make users more aware that they are bending to the side or 
   twisting, and so may make them limit these activities.  Both sideways 
   bending and twisting should be avoided during materials handling work. 

-  Despite the fact that weightlifters commonly use these belts, they do 
   not reduce the muscular effort required to perform lifts.  Weightlifters 
   do not gain any biomechanical advantage by using them.  A belt may 
   assist a highly skilled weightlifter but if so, the belt helps only 
   indirectly, by improving nervous system co-ordination during 
   symmetrical, high-weight lifts. 

   In any case, competitive weightlifting cannot be taken as a guide in 
   occupational materials handling since it is a very different kind of 
   physical activity. 

-  There are concerns that long-term, habitual use of the belts may cause a 
   loss of strength in the abdominal muscles.  In turn, this may lead to 
   back injuries when the person is not wearing the belt.  Some evidence 
   does suggest that injuries increase in people who are not wearing a belt 
   after a period of wearing one. 

-  Another cause for concern is that back belts may give wearers a false 
   sense of security, with the result that they may injure themselves by 
   handling loads beyond their physical capabilities. 

-  Finally, wearers of some types of belts have complained of excessive 
   heat under the belt or pressure and pinching of ribs.

GUIDELINES:

The weight of the evidence on back belts suggests that they do not offer 
benefits in reducing occupational injury rates or absenteeism.  Back 
injuries are a serious problem in Ontario workplaces:  the use of back 
belts will not prevent these injuries.

Prevention of back injuries can best be accomplished by following accepted 
ergonomic principles in designing jobs, tools and work environments.  An 
important adjunct to good ergonomic design is education in wellness and 
back care for both workers and managers.

Back belts do have a place in the treatment of low back pain, particularly 
in the case of a person returning to work after an injury.  It is 
recommended that they be worn at work only on the advice of the worker's 
physician or chiropractor.  This use of back belts appears to be most 
successful in conjunction with back education training.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

For more information about preventing of back injuries and redesigning work 
according to ergonomic principles, contact the Ergonomics Consultant at the 
Ministry of Labour Area Office nearest you.  For information on back care 
education programs contact a Nursing Consultant, also at your nearest Area 
Office.

Central Area Office (Mississauga)
(905) 615-7067    Toll-free: 1-800-268-2966

Eastern Area Office (Ottawa)
(613) 228-8050    Toll-free: 1-800-267-1916

Hamilton/Niagara Area Office (Hamilton)
(905) 577-6221    Toll-free: 1-800-263-6906

Northern Area Office (Sudbury)
(705) 670-7217    Toll-free: 1-800-461-6325

Toronto Area Office (Scarborough)
(416) 314-5336

Western Area Office (London)
(519) 439-2210    Toll-free: 1-800-265-1676