Lifting heavy items is one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. In 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 36 percent of injuries involving missed workdays were the result of shoulder and back injuries.

Too often, the two concepts are seen as being at odds. To be safe, you have to slow down operations. To increase efficiency, safety becomes less of a priority. In fact, that's far from the case.

As a safety manager or plant operator, you would likely agree that two of your top goals are to maximize productivity and promote workplace safety. One of the best ways to achieve both of these goals is to install one or more ergonomic jib cranes at your facility.

A safety plan for your company and facility has to include all demographics contained therein. That's a seemingly simple statement that can quickly become more complex in reality. Chances are that from supervisors to shift workers, employees of all backgrounds and ages work to help the company succeed. Do your safety efforts keep all of them in mind?