How To Play Safe And Avoid Injuries During Relocation

So many activities happen during a home relocation. Heavy items and large pieces of furniture are either lifted or slid across surfaces. Also, boxes will be packed and lifted across flight of stairs and loaded into the moving truck.  It may cause into injuries, In this conversation we will talk how to avoid injuries during relocation.

In all the frenzy of packing, lifting and loading your household items into the moving truck, an accident may occur when you least expected. And when accidents happen, injuries such as broken bones, pulled muscles, slamming doors on hands and heads, or falls may occur. One or more of the moving crew members could be injured or probably one of your family members or even your pet.

Regardless of who is injured, an injury is never a good news any day or anytime.

While there are no guaranteed formulas to prevent injuries, there are some steps you can take to prevent any injury on the relocation day.

How To Prevent Injuries On Your Relocation Day

1. Prepare your mind and body

Before you jump right into packing and lifting items, boxes and pieces of furniture, prepare your mind and body. You can start by doing a light stretching exercise. Stretch your legs and hands and do some jumping. It’ll relax your muscles and prepare your mind for the day’s work.

2. Don’t exceed your limits

Packing and loading your items into the moving truck is not a contest.

Don’t bite more than you can chew. Know your limit and don’t exceed it.

Straining yourself by taking more than you can handle will increase your risk of sustaining injury or pulling a muscle.

Whenever you intend to lift any heavy item, test the weight by carefully lifting one corner off the ground.

If it weighs more than you can handle, ask for help. Read more about professional packing tips to help you pack like a pro.

3. Lift items properly     

Whenever you intend to lift any piece of furniture or box, spread your legs apart, bend at the knees and not at the waist. Keep your back upright, straight, lift with your legs and never with your back. Hold the item you’re lifting close to your body while carrying it and stand up slowly.

While carrying heavy objects, avoid twisting your body or making any jerking movement. Whenever you intend to turn, turn with your entire body and not just your back. Don’t make unnecessary sharp turns or twisting of your body while carrying any heavy item.

4. Pack your boxes appropriately

Do not over pack each box. The content of each box should not make it too difficult to carry. Also, to prevent damage, don’t leave any empty space while packing your boxes. Consider combining heavy items and light ones in boxes to avoid making each box too heavy.

You can consider using bigger boxes for lighter items such as clothes and using smaller boxes for heavier items. You can use extra padding materials to fill up empty spaces in the box to prevent items from shifting while in transit. Also, label each box appropriately on all sides and indicate what side should be up.

What is an essential box and why you need it while moving?

5. Use appropriate tools

Some tools are designed to help you lift and carry heavy items easily. Moving straps, hand trucks, and dollies are all designed to make lifting and carrying heavy items easier. Moving supply retailers often have one or more of these tools available for rent.

However, if you hire a moving company they’ll show up with the right moving tools. But if you’re having a DIY home relocation, here are some of the most important moving tools you’ll need:

• Stair rollers: makes moving items across flight of stairs absolutely easy. Stair rollers are attached to stairs and it allows pieces of furniture and other heavy objects to be safely and carefully rolled down a flight of stairs.
• Furniture dolly: it’s a four wheeled horizontal platform that allows moving up to a thousand pounds safely. Before moving furniture dolly, don’t forget to attach the cargo with straps or ropes.
• Sliders: makes it easier to move items such as pieces of furniture. To use easily, tilt the piece of furniture. Place a pad under each corner to easily slide the furniture across a room on any surface.
• Hand-trucks/appliance dolly: is a vertical two wheeled apparatus which is easy to control and can easily transport tall-standing appliances like refrigerator or stack of boxes.
• Moving straps: refers to straps used to lower the center of gravity for the cargo. It redistributes the weight of cargoes and makes it easier to lift.

6. Create an obstacle free path

Before you start packing and carrying items from your home and loading the truck, ensure you clear your path.

All paths you intend to use for carrying items from your home to the mover’s truck must be safe and free from obstacles.

Check the road paths for loose items on the floor, clutter, raise rumpled rugs and floor boards as well as loose banisters.

Clear your staircases and walkways of any tripping dangers. Ensure you always have a clear view of your surroundings as you carry items out of your home into the truck.

7. Avoid slips

To prevent slips, make sure none of your surfaces are slippery or wet during the move to prevent falls and injury. Ensure you and the moving crew or those who have come to assist you wipe their shoes properly before re-entering your home, mostly during a wet season.

Before you start packing your household goods and loading the moving truck, rake all debris and leaves around your home to ensure all walkways are clean. Also, if it is raining, lay down cardboard inside the house to soak up water.

8. Don’t over work yourself

As you work, remember you’re not a machine. Don’t over work yourself, take a break to catch your breath. Relax for a while to give your muscles some rest and refuel. Make sure you’re hydrated and drink plenty of water.

Before the work begins, make sure you eat a healthy breakfast. Also, you should consider taking a snack break whenever you feel hungry as you work during the move.

If you’ve invited friends and family to help you move, don’t let them starve. Offer them something t eat and drink during the break and after the packing and loading is done.

9. Seek Assistance  

Requesting the assistance of a few strong friends, colleagues, neighbors or family members is one of the ways to avoid injury on the relocation day. With so some helping hands, you can easily avoid exhaustion and strains as the moving labor is divided among several people.

4 reasons to spare your friends from helping you move

10. Hire A Moving Company

The easiest way to have a successful home relocation is to hire a professional moving company. You have the option of hiring full-time movers who can get the entire job done while you sit back, relax and enjoy!

You wouldn’t have to bother about the possibility of any injury as the moving crew have the expertise and experience to do their job successfully.

But with so many moving companies around, it may be difficult to figure out which one is the best option. This is why at MoverJunction.com we specialize in screening licensed and BBB rated moving companies and only recommend the best for customers. Also, we provide up to six free moving quotes so you can compare costs before hiring.