By Randall C. Resch
It happened day-two of a CHP Tow Operator’s Safety Course. Participants were deep in reality-based training as we were setting up a snatch block and cable to work a typical rollover recovery situated down an embankment.
This scenario required sixty-feet of cable. In preparing for that process, one “experienced tower” activated the wrecker’s “free spool” while another experienced young buck took hold of the winch cable. When free spool was released and with a single cable in the tower’s right hand, the tower turned his larger-than-most sized body at the waist and gave a sizeable “jerk.”
Using over-aggressive core strength to pull cable, his upper body didn’t align in the direction he wanted to go versus where cable was to unspool. His upper body was turned a full quarter and wasn’t aligned with his neck.
At the moment he heaved a mighty tug, a muscle snapped in the right-side of his neck. Based on the look of his face, pain was immediate causing him to stop dead in his tracks. We discovered that the winch’s cable was stuck between strands.
A Little Too Late
I’ve watched the industry make leaps and bounds through the years. I’ve learned to know that this industry is definitely “young person’s work,” in which the years of activity have taken its toll on my physical state. Pulling cable is an easy and painless process, but only if the process is understood.
Because this industry is physically demanding, some lessons are learned in a timely manner. “Cable Ergonomics” isn’t one of them. If you’ve never experienced a pulled neck muscle, pain is immediate and extremely hard to deal with. Sometimes, neck pulls or strains take weeks for pain to subside, even longer to get back into the full swing of fluid motion.
Because this work is physically challenging, it’s tough on one’s physique. So, let this narrative focus on the art of pulling (winch) cable hoping you’ll avoid an upper torso injury in the future. While it might not seem a big deal to the young and restless, there comes a moment in every tower’s career when they’re injured by the simple task of pulling cable, be it to the neck, shoulder, elbows, or to one’s back. It’s important to know what proper techniques help to stay injury free.
It Went “Twang”
A pulled neck muscle can deliver immediate, debilitating pain. As explained by, Dr. Rahul Shah, MD, a board-certified orthopedic spine and neck surgeon at Premier Orthopedic Spine Associates in Vineland, New Jersey, the two most common muscle pulls (commonly called, “Strains”, are to the neck’s, “Trapezius,” and or the, “Levator Scapulae,” muscles.
Dr. Shah says, “Typically, they can occur when working past fatigue, overuse, or simply pulling beyond the muscle’s capabilities. Oftentimes, it is an innocuous movement that follows a series of heavy movements, which tends to push the muscle past its limits.”
Regarding a pulled neck muscle, most persons, male or female, don’t typically have weak neck muscles. Neck muscles work hard to keep that “bowling ball on a stick” upright to one’s body. But, for weight lifters, over reachers who turn too fast, or “straining” during physical activities, neck pull or strain is possible.
Protect the Pull
When it comes to “neck injuries”, they’re oftentimes caused by the (poorly wrapped) condition of the tow truck’s winch cable, or a winch that’s doesn’t free spool easily. Cable that’s “bird nested” tends to wrap over itself, or cable gets jammed between strands of wrapped cable.
For unsuspecting tow operators, when it’s time to pull cable, the mass of one’s body weight likely goes one direction while cable stays stuck and unable to roll freely. That’s about the time a painful “neck twang” takes place.
While tow truck activities aren’t listed in the Journal of American Medicine, consider these tips to help avoid painful injuries caused by pulling cable during winch out scenarios:
-- Release the winch’s free spool lever or air-release to ensure cable spools (out) easily without hesitation
-- With gloved hands, pull only one cable at a time
-- Grasp cable with both hands at the cable’s hook
-- Pull the cable’s hook at belt buckle level with elbows tucked tight to the hips
-- Using the body’s “core strength muscles”, move backwards facing the tow truck’s boom, carrier’s winch, or location where the winch is mounted
-- With each step rearward, pull additional cable (at waist level) and repeat slowly using guarded motion while stepping rearward
-- Don’t hurry or jerk (pull) the cable
-- Avoid tripping; be aware of surface obstacles, debris, or potholes
-- Pull enough cable to reach the casualty
-- As far as the tower who injured his neck during training, he was forced to take four weeks off until cleared by his doctor. Although his injury was covered by Worker’s Comp, the company was without his day-to-day participation.
Notably, from a risk management standpoint, it makes good sense to discuss the simple task of pulling cable during training sessions.
Operations Editor Randall C. Resch is a retired, veteran, California police officer, former tow business owner and industry advocate. As consultant and trainer, he authored and teaches tow truck operator safety courses approved by the California Highway Patrol. For 51-years, he has been involved in the towing and recovery industry. In 28-years, he has contributed more than 700-safety focused articles for American Towman Magazine, TowIndustryWeek.com and is a frequent seminar presenter and beauty pageant judge at tow shows. In 2014, he was inducted to the International Towing and Recovery Industry Hall of Fame, was the 3rd recipient of the industry's "Dave Jones Leadership Award," and is a member of American Towman’s Safety Committee.
Email Randy at rreschran@gmail.com.
By Brian J. Riker
