Manual Handling
More than a quarter of the accidents reported each year to the authorities are associated with manual handling
the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force. Whilst fatalities are rare major injuries such as fractures are not uncommon. Most of these injuries could have been avoided by using correct techniques for manual handling.
The regulations in their entirety offer a systematic approach to manual handling.
- Avoid manual handling so far as is reasonably practicable by redesigning the task or by automating the process.
- make a suitable and sufficient assessment of any task to be carried out.
- reduce the risk of injury from any operations that cannot be avoided so far as is reasonably practicable
- for example the provision of mechanical assistance or other improvements to the task, the load and the working environment.
What does assessment entail ?
The factors that should be taken into account include the task, the load, the working environment and individual capability. Employers should be able to carry out the assessment themselves in most cases as they will be better placed, in most cases, to understand the tasks being undertaken in their own organization than someone form outside. However it can often be useful to draw on the expertise and knowledge of others either at a first stage to give in-house assessors training in the execution of assessments or if a task is particularly novel or difficult to assess. The views of staff involved in the tasks can also be a useful contribution. If detailed accident and ill-health records are maintained these can also be a valuable pointer as to where problems occur. Assessments will normally be sufficient if they take into account the totality of the manual handling operations and generic assessment covering a range of activities are often acceptable.
As a general guide a list of questions and considerations are listed below to help in the carrying out of an assessment of manual handling operations:
The tasks
Do they involve:
- holding or manipulating loads at distance from the trunk?
- unsatisfactory body movement or posture especially:
- twisting the trunk?
- stooping?
- reaching upwards?
- excessive movement of loads, especially
- excessive lifting or lowering distances
- excessive carrying distances
- excessive pushing or pulling of loads?
- risk of sudden movement of loads?
- frequent or prolonged physical effort?
- insufficient rest or recovery periods?
- a rate of work imposed by a process?
The loads
Are they:
- heavy?
- bulky or unwieldy?
- difficult to grasp?
- unstable, or with contents likely to shift?
- sharp, hot or otherwise potentially damaging?
The working environment
Are there:
- space constraints preventing good posture?
- uneven slippery or unstable floors?
- variations of levels of floors or work surfaces?
- extremes of temperature or humidity?
- conditions causing ventilation problems or gusts of wind?
- poor lighting conditions?
Individual capability
Does the job:
- require unusual strength, height etc.?
- create a hazard to those who might reasonably be considered to be pregnant or to have a health problem?
- require special information or training for its safe performance?
Other factors
- Is movement or posture affected by personal protective equipment or by clothing?
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