GETTING TO GRIPS WITH MANUAL HANDLING: A SHORT GUIDE FOR EMPLOYERS

1 What's the problem?

OVER a third of all accidents reported each year to HSE and local authorities arise from manual handling - the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force

Most of the reported accidents cause back injury, though hands, arms and feet are also vulnerable. The pie chart shows the pattern for over-three-day injuries reported in 1990/91. On average, each injury results in 20 days off work. The cost is enormous. And sometimes the victim never fully recovers.

Many manual handling injuries build up over a period rather than being caused by a single handling incident. These injuries occur wherever people are at work - on farms and building sites, in factories, offices, warehouses, hospitals, banks, laboratories, and while making deliveries.

2 What should I do about it?

CONSIDER the risks from manual handling to the health and safety of your employees-the rest of this booklet will help. If risks exist, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 apply.

3 What are my duties?

THE EMPLOYER SHOULD:

  • AVOID the need for hazardous manual handling, as far as reasonably practicable
  • ASSESS the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can't be avoided; and
  • REDUCE the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, as far as reasonably practicable

These points are explained in detail in sections 4 and 5.

EMPLOYEES HAVE DUTIES TOO. THEY SHOULD:

  • follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety
  • make proper use of equipment provided for their safety
  • co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters

The SELF-EMPLOYED should take care for their own safety.

4 Avoiding manual handling

CHECK WHETHER YOU NEED TO MOVE IT AT ALL.

For example:

  • can wrapping or machining be done without moving the materials?
  • can you take the treatment to the patient, not vice versa?
  • can raw materials be piped to their point of use?

CONSIDER AUTOMATION, particularly for new processes.

THINK ABOUT MECHANISATION, like the use of a lift truck.

BEWARE NEW HAZARDS from automation or mechanisation.

For example:

  • an automated plant still needs cleaning, maintenance etc
  • lift trucks must be suited to the work and have properly trained operators

5 Assessing and reducing the risk of injury

Who should make the assessment?

The assessment is the employer's responsibility. You should be able to do most assessments in-house; you know your business better than anyone. Most will require just a few minutes observation and the use of common sense. Advice from outside experts may be helpful in difficult or unusual cases, or to get you started.

Should I train my employees to make their own assessments?

No. The duty belongs to management. But your assessment might well show that employees need more training in manual handling, especially if their work is varied or they often work without close supervision.

Need assessments be recorded?

No, except where the assessment could not easily be repeated, in such cases the significant findings should be recorded and kept.

Do I have to do assessments for each individual employee and workplace?

No. It's quite acceptable to combine parts of assessments that are common to several employees or to more than one site or type of work.

THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO IDENTIFY THE RISK OF INJURY AND POINT THE WAY TO PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENTS.

How should I use my assessment?

Don't just forget it or file it away. The purpose of the assessment is to pinpoint the worst features of the work - and they're the ones you should try to improve first.

How far must I reduce the risk?

To the lowest level 'reasonably practicable'. That means reducing the risk until the cost of any further precautions - in time, trouble or money - would be far too great in proportion to the benefits.

Must I provide mechanical aids in every case?

It depends whether it's reasonably practicable to do so. But you should always consider mechanical aids - they can improve productivity as well as safety. Even something as simple as a sack truck can make a big improvement.

Problems to look for when making an assessment

THE TASKS: DO THEY INVOLVE -

  • holding loads away from trunk?
  • twisting, stooping or reaching upwards?
  • large vertical movement?
  • long carrying distances?
  • strenuous pushing or pulling?
  • unpredictable movement of loads?
  • repetitive handling?
  • insufficient rest or recovery time?
  • a work rate imposed by a process?

THE LOADS: ARE THEY -

  • heavy, bulky or unwieldy?
  • difficult to grasp?
  • unstable or unpredictable?
  • intrinsically harmful, eg sharp or hot?

THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT: ARE THERE -

  • constraints on posture?
  • poor floors?
  • variations in levels?
  • hot/cold/humid conditions?
  • strong air movements?
  • poor lighting conditions?
  • restrictions on movement or posture from clothes or personal protective equipment?

INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY: DOES THE JOB -

  • require unusual capability?
  • endanger those with a health problem?
  • endanger pregnant women?
  • call for special information or training?

Ways of reducing the risk of injury

CAN YOU -

  • improve workplace layout to improve efficiency?
  • reduce the amount of twisting and stooping?
  • avoid lifting from floor level or above shoulder height?
  • cut carrying distances?
  • avoid repetitive handling?
  • vary the work, allowing one set of muscles to rest while another is used?

CAN YOU MAKE THE LOAD -

  • lighter or less bulky?
  • easier to grasp?
  • more stable?
  • less damaging to hold? Have you asked your suppliers to help?

CAN YOU -

  • remove obstructions to free movement?
  • provide better flooring?
  • avoid steps and steep ramps?
  • prevent extremes of hot and cold?
  • improve lighting?
  • consider less restrictive clothing or personal protective equipment?

CAN YOU -

  • take better care of those who have a physical weakness or are pregnant?
  • give your employees more information, eg about the range of tasks they are likely to face?
  • provide training (see sections 6 and 7)?

6 What about training?

Training is important but remember that, on its own, it can't overcome:

  • a lack of mechanical aids
  • unsuitable loads
  • bad working conditions

TRAINING SHOULD COVER:

  • how to recognise harmful manual handling
  • appropriate systems of work
  • use of mechanical aids
  • good handling technique (see section 7)

7 Good handling technique

Here are some important points, using a basic lifting operation as an example.

  • Stop and think
  • Plan the lift. Where is the load to be placed? Use appropriate handling aids if possible. Do you need help with the load? Remove obstructions such as discarded wrapping materials. For a long lift, such as floor to shoulder height, consider resting the load mid-way on a table or bench in order to change grip.
  • Position the feet
  • Feet apart, giving a balanced and stable base for lifting (tight skirts and unsuitable footwear make this difficult). Leading leg as far forward as is comfortable.
  • Adopt a good posture
  • When lifting from a low level, bend the knees. But do not kneel or overflex the knees. Keep the back straight (tucking in the chin helps). Lean forward a little over the load if necessary to get a good grip. Keep the shoulders level and facing in the same direction as the hips.
  • Get a firm grip
  • Try to keep the arms within the boundary formed by the legs. The best position and type of grip depends on the circumstances and individual preference; but it must be secure. A hook grip is less tiring than keeping the fingers straight. If you need to vary the grip as the lift proceeds, do it as smoothly as possible.
  • Keep close to the load
  • Keep the load close to the trunk for as long as possible. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the trunk. If a close approach to the load is not possible, slide it towards you before trying to lift.
  • Don't jerk
  • Lift smoothly, keeping control of the load.
  • Move the feet
  • Don't twist the trunk when turning to the side.
  • Put down, then adjust
  • If precise positioning of the load is necessary, put it down first, then slide it into the desired position.

8 How do I know if there's a risk of injury?

It's a matter of judgement in each case, but there are certain things to look out for, such as excessive fatigue, bad posture, cramped/untidy work areas, awkward or heavy loads or a history of back troubles

Can you be more definite?

It's difficult to be precise: so many factors vary between jobs, workplaces and people.

This information is reproduced from a leaflet published by the Health and Safety Executive

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