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lower back and kegging advise

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  • lower back and kegging advise

    I presently work in a small 8HL brewery were I do everything from brewing to kegging to delivery. I am experiencing lower back pain and I am looking for good alternatives to lifting kegs in the ct room. The room is small and requires stacking 2 high. This process really agrivates my cyatic nerve. If anyone has delt with this I would appreciate any advice.
    Cheers
    blue

  • #2
    Yeah, I know exactly what you mean...Roll those kegs, don't lift em. Wear a good back belt, put some good dancing music on and wiggle those vertebrae back into position. Some ibuprofin isn't bad. I made a step like structure out of a few staggered plastic pallets so that you rock a keg up halfway onto single pallet height then rock other side up, then repeat for each step up to as high as needed-especially for loading vehicles. Also try filling them when they are already stacked...Brian

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    • #3
      been there!

      I fairly seriously wrenched my back about five years ago, lifting a keg wrong, and it hasn't been quite the same ever since. However, I've learned to deal with it.

      I highly recommend chiropractic treatment (try to find one with good referrals, audition a number of them, pick one who seems to really pay attention to your condition). I also highly recommend Ibuprofen at the first sign of pain, as it'll keep the inflamation down and speed the recovery.

      I really like Brian's step-up recommendations. Definitely good ideas!

      Good luck!

      Tim

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      • #4
        I have a good solution to your problem. Use a dolly to wheel the kegs in to your cold room and right up to the keg you are about to stack one on. Drop the dolly down so it is laying flat on the ground with the keg on it side ways. You will notice that the keg on the dolly is higher than the one you are going to put it on. Push the dolly right up to the keg and lift up the dolly. The lip of the keg on the dolly will catch the edge of the other keg and you just continue lifting and pushing up until it is resting safely on the other keg.
        Kevin

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        • #5
          We built a coupler that grabs the neck of the keg, we then lift the kegs up using an electric hoist. The keg cellar has a track on the ceiling that covers the whole cellar so the hoist can move anywhere in the room.
          No more bad backs.

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          • #6
            "Back belts are not recognized by OSHA as effective engineering controls to prevent back injury. While they may be accepted by individual workers because they feel as if they provide additional support, the effectiveness of back belts in the prevention of low back injuries has not been proven in the work environment.

            Thus, OSHA does not forbid the use of back belts and similar devices, nor does it endorse their use."

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            • #7
              Originally posted by kdonohue10
              You will notice that the keg on the dolly is higher than the one you are going to put it on.
              Kevin
              im not sure I understand how the keg would be higher than the one I want to stack it on. I thought of building a dolly that had the platform welded halfway up the handle so it would be the right hight.

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              • #8
                Blue,
                Back at the last brewery I worked at, we used converted hoff-stevens kegs & stacked them 2 high. Awkward buggers, & I'm glad I don't do that anymore.

                We use straight sided sankey's here. They're much more brewer friendly. I'm assuming you have a "homemade" keg filler with a bit longer of a fill hose, so all you've got to do is fill one, then stack the next (empty - yay!) on top & fill it. Then just 2 wheel it around your space.

                As for getting them in the van, build a ramp, or ice up a 2x6 board to slide kegs up to the back end. This is Canada - use the winter to your advantage!

                Work smarter, not harder.

                Happy Brewing,
                Dave
                Bushwakker Brewing Co.

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                • #9
                  Regarding back belts, I don't always agree with the government...I find the belts are imperative when I can tell I have insulted my back, and this helps prevent further injury or aggravation much like a cast is used for protecting a broken bone during healing. Everyday use seems to allow atrophy of critical back alignment muscles, leading to more easily damaged backs. I'm 46 and hump kegs for a living.

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                  • #10
                    Pay college students to do the keg filling/lifting.
                    Bottoms Up!

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for all the input, I think I should try and find a backbrace or belt to help when I lift. The room is very small so I do not think I would be able to construct anything other than a glorified dolly. Here is a picture of one side of the room. There is really only room left for some hoses and a pump for transfers.



                      if anyone has info on a proper back brace maybe I will look into that. Presently I am using a simple velcro waist brace.

                      cheers
                      Blue

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                      • #12
                        I repeat...

                        ...see a chiropractor on a regular basis! And probably a good massage therapist as well. You can't NOT pick up kegs, and you don't have the room to build something to help, so you're going to keep hurting your back. So, since you can't do anything about the room or the kegs, do something about taking care of your back!

                        Good luck!

                        Tim

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                        • #13
                          Blue,

                          I have to agree with Trub-man or jrdamas. Get a sacrificial student (how politically correct is that?) or a simple small electric motor hoist suspended from the ceiling on a small track that allows you to stack and slide any style of keg (email me and I can get you the details). We're talking 165 lbs (75 kg) to lift which is a long way over any maximum lift rating and the equipment is relatively dirt cheap!

                          Small side issue: Blue and Dave - "advise", "Yay", "agrivates", "delt" ???
                          We're Canadian, we're supposed to be better at this. Slow down on the keyboard or learn to spell. You're making us look bad.
                          -Rob-

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                          • #14
                            You are kidding yourself if you think a "sacrificial student" or chiroparacter will resoolve the problem. The only answer is to get a hoist of some sort (as mentioned more than once previously) and better still, some racking to hold it in a stable position. If those casks are full - they hurt a fair bit if you knock one onto your foot / leg. There are cellar handling equipment suppliers her in the UK, who can supply wheeled mini fhork lift type hoists, and racking to hold kegs / casks on their sides, possibly better than vertically stacked, especially if you have wooden shives as your photo. indicates.

                            Mosy important thing - find yourself someone localy who runs a safe amnual handling course. Try any big factory ar possibly union reps for details.

                            Cheers
                            dick

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                            • #15
                              Rob,

                              "Yay" - as in - great! i.e.: Lifting empty kegs is much better than lifting full ones. Do you edit papers on the side whilst hunting for a cheap, backbreaking labour force in students? That's just plain abuse. As I said, been there, done that, which is part of the reason I'd never hire anyone & expect them to lift those casks.

                              I suggest we all listen to Dick...


                              even if his spelling is atrocious.


                              No offence Dick. Never known you to be wrong.

                              Dave

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