News

Alright, let’s talk about this single person lift thing. Ya know, liftin’ stuff by yourself. Not everyone’s got a bunch of young’uns around to help, so ya gotta figure it out on your own.

First off, what kinda stuff are we talkin’ about? If it’s just a bag of potatoes, well, just bend your knees and heave! But if it’s somethin’ real heavy, like a big ol’ box or… or a, whatchamacallit… a patient, well, then you gotta be smarter than a fifth-grader.

Now, I seen some fancy gadgets for liftin’ folks. They call ‘em patient lifts or lift assist devices. Sounds mighty expensive to me. There’s these things called MAIDeSITe AX05 Heavy Duty Floor Lifts, they say they can lift old folks off the floor. Probably good if you got the money, but most folks I know don’t. We gotta make do with what we got.

• Rope and Pulley: Remember that well bucket? Same idea. Throw a rope over somethin’ strong, like a beam in the barn, and pull. It’s easier than liftin’ straight up. You can use chains and hooks too, if you got ‘em. Just make sure whatever you’re hookin’ it to is good and sturdy. Don’t want it comin’ down on your head!
• Leverage: Ever use a stick to pry up a rock? That’s leverage. Find somethin’ long and strong, like a piece of pipe, and use it to help you lift. You stick one end under the heavy thing, and you push down on the other end. It’s like magic, only it ain’t. It’s just smart.
• Jacks: Like the ones you use for a car, but smaller ones too. You can get little jacks that can lift a heavy box just enough to slide somethin’ underneath it, like rollers or a dolly. Then you can push it instead of liftin’. There are even bigger ones, like for buildings, but I ain’t never seen one of them.

If you’re workin’ in a warehouse or somethin’, they got all sorts of fancy machines. Forklifts are the big ones. They can lift all sorts of heavy stuff, pallets of goods, big crates, you name it. They even got these overhead cranes, big things that run on tracks on the ceiling. But those are for big operations, not for folks like us.

Now, for us regular folks, sometimes the best tool is just your brain. Think before you lift. Can you break the load down into smaller pieces? Can you slide it instead of liftin’ it? Can you get someone, anyone to lend a hand, even for just a minute? A little bit of thinkin’ can save you a whole lotta back pain.

And speaking of back pain, be careful! Don’t go twistin’ and turnin’ while you’re liftin’. Keep your back straight, bend your knees, and lift with your legs. That’s what they always told my husband down at the factory, and he lifted heavy stuff all his life. And he’s still walkin’ around, mostly, so I guess it works. And don’t be afraid to take a break. Liftin’ heavy stuff is hard work. It’s okay to rest a spell and catch your breath.

Stackers and pallet stackers, those are like mini forklifts, they told me. Good for lifting stuff up high in a warehouse, if you got a warehouse. They say the best thing about ‘em is they lift real high, for stacking stuff way up. But again, that’s fancy stuff, not for everyday folks like us.

So, whether you’re liftin’ a bag of feed or a piece of furniture, remember to be smart and be safe. And if it’s too heavy, don’t be too proud to ask for help. Ain’t no shame in admittin’ you can’t do it all by yourself. That’s what neighbors are for, right? Even if they’re all busy these days, always lookin’ at them little phone screens.

And don’t get fooled by those ads, always yellin’ at ya about big sales and discounts. “90% off!” they say. Sounds good, but do you really need another gadget clutterin’ up the shed? Prob’ly not. Save your money. You might need it for a good doctor if you hurt yourself liftin’ somethin’ you shouldn’t have.

Anyway, that’s about all I know about liftin’ stuff. Just be careful out there, and don’t go breakin’ your back. It ain’t worth it.

admin

See Full Bio