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Inventor Ron Komorowski developed Handi-Straps as a way to allow increased lifting ability while lowering the stress on a worker’s back and helping to prevent any of a myriad of potential lifting injuries. Simple in design, the unit is worn around the body and extension straps attach themselves to the object to be carried, dragged or pulled.

“When an object is lifted or pulled, the pressure can be magnified up to 20 times in the lower back,” the company said. “In normal lifting, this opens up the vertebrae influencing a disc to slip and even become herniated.”

The lifting aid manufactured by Web Devices can also help in the prevention of hand and finger strain and injury because sharp or abrasive edges of a carried object do not have to be gripped tightly as they would under normal lifting behavior. Webbing that is incorporated into the unit also protects from hand injury should the carrier impact another object or hard surface.

Handi-Straps can be adjusted to fit the height and needs of the user, but the company noted the adjustment did not allow for full arm extension downward without causing the straps to tighten. If one side of the user’s body performs sub-par to the other, such as a weak shoulder, an adjustment can be made on one side of the unit so that the stronger side can absorb the extra force.

“[It] is like adding four arms to the body but distributed to the entire upper body, [but] these ‘arms’ cannot be hurt,” the company said.

While it is also designed for use by emergency response professionals and laborers, its coal mining applications can extend from the everyday task to rescue efforts following an underground incident.

“Preliminary testing indicates a significant decrease in the probability of low back disorders as determined with NIOSH standards when using the Handi-Straps,” said ErgoMed Work Systems, which conducted testing on the device. “Forces associated with lifting are distributed to the shoulders and upper back, therefore decreasing the amount of low back strain and subsequent injury.

“Handi-Straps encourages proper lifting technique, thus further decreasing the incidence of occupational low back disorders.”