Camera operators face unique occupational hazards, from repetitive strain injuries to long hours of standing and carrying heavy equipment. Understanding these risks is crucial for maintaining health and safety on the job. This article explores common hazards, offers essential tips for staying safe, and provides strategies for relieving pain, ensuring camera operators can perform at their best while protecting their well-being.
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Camera Operators: Occupational Hazards & Safety Tips
Camera operators often suffer from various levels of back, shoulder, and elbow pain due to the sheer weight of the camera equipment and accessories they must carry as well as how they need to be held and operated.
It is important for new camera operators to begin their careers with the right information to help prevent and minimize the impact of the well-documented occupational hazards that come with being a camera operator.
It is equally as important for those who have been in the industry for years to also take care of themselves to ease any pain they are currently experiencing as well as improve their odds for a more pleasant and less painful future.
Common Injuries in Camera Operators
Back Pain
Having lower back pain is one of the most common complaints made by camera operators. This is due to the weight of the camera pushing down on your vertebrae, and the impact that this has gets compounded by the length of time you spend with your camera on your shoulder. The longer you spend working with the camera on your shoulder, the more damage you are doing to your spine faster, and you risk additional nerve damage. Lower back pain can also be exacerbated by sitting or driving daily for long periods of time.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is also very common in camera operators who are constantly lifting the camera rig above their shoulder line with one hand. This can result in a rotator cuff tear which, depending on how extreme the damage is, cannot always be repaired or the tendon able to regenerate itself.
Elbow Pain
Tendonitis, also called “tennis elbow,” is another common injury suffered by camera operators caused by overworked forearm flexors from gripping the camera rig. Those with tennis elbow experience pain on the outside of the arm where the forearm meets the elbow.
Safety Tips for Camera Operators
1. Lighten Your Load
When you don’t have to hold your camera on your shoulder, don’t. Use a dolly or rolling cart to transport and hold any equipment you don’t need to carry yourself.
2. Take Breaks
Be mindful of working for extended periods of time without any breaks. Carry a monopod with you so that you have something portable, versatile, and inexpensive to help you keep your camera steady if you need to stand with your camera for a long period of time and tripods are not allowed at the event you are at.
3. Strengthen Your Forearms & Grip
Strengthen your forearms to help with tendonitis by using heavy grip hand gripper.
4. Use A Body Support Rig System
Consider using an EasyRig or other type of body support rig system.
5. Relieve Forearm Pain with A Forearm Strap
Use an adjustable forearm strap for forearm pain relief. Those with a compression pad can help alleviate the pressure to the tendon when you try to grip something.
6. Strengthen Your Back
Strengthen your back by doing Yoga and other strength training exercises. Protect your back by bending your knees when you have to pick something up from the ground.
7. Strengthen Your Core
Alleviate pressure on your back by also strengthening your core through Pilates and other abdominal and balance exercises.
8. Stay Hydrated and Eat Well
Stay hydrated and eat well-balanced nutritious meals to help provide your body with essential vitamins and nutrients to keep you strong and healthy.