Safety Talks

Stretching Exercises
Explain dangers Knee to Chest
Support yourself with one hand.
Getting ready for the job means more than lining With your free hand, pull your
up tools and material. We should get our muscles knee toward your chest and
ready too. Exercising before work can help hold it for 30 seconds. Repeat
prevent back, neck, and shoulder injuries. with the other leg. Repeat
three times for each leg.
Demonstrate
We recommend you hand out to your employees Hip Stretch
IHSA’s Before You Start Work exercises card
(V012). Learn to do the exercises before you give Stand with one foot in front
the talk. Demonstrate each exercise to the group, of the other. Place your
and ask the group to do it after you. hands just above the knee
of your front leg. Gently
bend your front knee. Keep
CAUTION: Participation must be voluntary. If
your back foot flat on the
workers have any doubts about their ability
floor. Hold 20 to 30 seconds.
to do the exercises safely, they should not do
Repeat with other leg. Repeat
them. If they feel any pain, they should stop
three times for each leg.
immediately.
Thigh Stretch
Warm up first. This helps to get your muscles Support yourself with one hand.
warm and loose. A warm muscle is a lot less With your free hand, bend your leg
likely to tear than a cold one. back and grasp your ankle. Gently
pull your ankle towards your body.
March in Place Keep your trunk straight. Hold 20
to 30 seconds. Then repeat with
Stand in position. Pump the other leg. Repeat three times
arms and legs in opposite for each leg.
directions. Make sure that
your heels touch the ground. Calf Stretch
Continue 3 to 5 minutes.
Lean on a solid support with
your outstretched hands.
Bend one leg forward and
Arm Circles extend the other leg straight
Stand with arms raised behind you. Slowly move
horizontally and slightly your hips forward. Keep
in front of shoulders, the heel of your back
palms down, and feet leg on the ground. Hold
shoulder-width apart. 30 seconds, relax, and
Rotate arms in forward repeat with the other leg.
circular motion for Repeat three times for each leg.
15 seconds. Relax.
Repeat 3 to 5 times. Backward Stretch
Stand up and bend backwards, holding
for 2 to 4 seconds. Repeat three times.
Now we’re ready for some stretching exercises. This will help relieve lower-back muscle
[The following stretches should be performed in a slow,
tension. Do this stretch after working in
controlled manner and held in a sustained stretch for 20 to 30 a crouched, bent, or stooped position.
seconds. Avoid bouncy, jerky movements. Stretch only to a
comfortable position, not to the point of pain.]

Ergonomics
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