EUSR Manual handling awareness

• Basic structure of the spine
• Injuries e.g., MSD – musculoskeletal disorders, back pain, hernia, muscle strain, trapped nerve, cuts and abrasions
• Causes of injury i.e., lifting heavy or bulky loads, carrying loads awkwardly, pushing, pulling or dragging heavy loads, manual handling in awkward, or confined spaces, stretching, twisting and reaching, working beyond individual capability, or when physically overtired.
• Risks associated with incorrect lifting techniques, upper and lower limb disorders (ULD) and their symptoms.
• Personal factors which increase the risk of harm e.g., unfit, existing injuries
• Consequences of non-compliance with Health and safety requirements: individuals receiving injuries; employer compensation, liability, penalties, fines, increased insurance premiums poor reputation; increased visits from inspectors, poor morale.

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 supplement the general duties placed on employers and others by the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 and the broad requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Consideration of Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) when using manual handling aids

Definition of terms i.e., hazard, risk, injury, load, manual handling operations.

Employer responsibilities:
(avoid, assess, reduce)

• void the need for employees to perform manual handling tasks.
• Undertake risk assessments by a competent person i.e. someone with the necessary skills, training and experience to fulfil their role effectively,
• risk assessment should involve workers,
• consider employees at risk i.e., workers with health problems, disabled workers, new and expectant mothers, young/older workers,
• psychosocial risk factors e.g., high workloads, tight deadlines, lack of control,
• adopt an ergonomic approach to risk assessment i.e. task, individual capability, load, working environment and other i.e., PPE restrictions on movement.
• Reduce the risk of injury where possible, provide mechanical assistance, e.g., sack trolley, hoist, if appropriate, if not consider changes to the task, load and working environment.
• Provide training on safe manual handling techniques, equipment provision, self-employed workers,
• consult with employees on health and safety matters that concern their health and wellbeing,

Employee responsibilities:

• Safeguard themselves and others who may be affected by their activities,
• cooperate with employers,
• follow instruction,
• follow safe systems of work

use appropriate aids and equipment provided and in accordance with training received.

• Steps to prevent injury in the workplace e.g., avoid hazardous manual handling so far as reasonably practicable, assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided, reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling to as low as reasonably practicable.
• Implement safe manual handling techniques
• Employer – Worker consultation i.e., involve the workforce and their representatives when assessing risks.
• Employer – Train workers on how to handle materials safely.
• Employer and Employee – Adapt the work environment i.e., clear paths, sufficient space for movement, reduce the need for bending or reaching, maintain good housekeeping, follow safe systems of work.
• Employee – Use appropriate mechanical aids.
• Employer – Encourage early reporting of symptoms.

Simple approach to risk assessment using the TILE or LITE acronym:

Task: is the load held or manipulated at a distance from the torso, does the task involve twisting, stooping, reaching upwards, bending sideways, lifting or lowering distances, carrying distances, pushing or pulling the load, stability of the loads, does the task involve frequent or prolonged physical effort, involve insufficient rest or recovery periods, is handling the load beyond the capability of one person and requires team handling.

Individual: take into account the capabilities of the person handling the load, including their strength, fitness and any health issues.

Load: size and weight, is it bulky or unwieldy, is the weight evenly distributed, difficult to grasp, unstable i.e., content is likely to move, sharp edges, hot or too cold to handle without gloves.

Environment: layout, space constraints preventing good posture, floors are they uneven/ slippery or unstable, are there variations in floor levels, slopes, steps, is the temperature hot and may lead to sweating impairing vision, grip, low temperatures impair dexterity due to reduced blood flow to the skin and extremities to the body such as fingers, ventilation problems leading to reduced oxygen and lighting, poor visibility, glare preventing the handler from seeing loads or lead to poor posture, poor lighting on stairs or bright light, deep shadows leading to trip hazards, difficult to judge height and distance.

Control measures:

• Record significant findings e.g., the hazards, how people might be harmed and controls in place to mitigate the risks i.e., Task (use a lifting aid, reduce carrying distances), Load (lighter or less bulky loads, easier to grasp), Environment (avoid steps and steep ramps, improve lighting), Individual (provide more training, consider the design of the task), Handling Aid (equipment must be suitable for the task, carry out planned maintenance).
• Review work activities to ensure risks are being adequately controlled, consult with the handler, check accident and ill-health data.

• Correct manual handling techniques when lifting alone: Plan the lifting activity (position, lift, move, lower), keep the load close to the waist, adopt a stable position, ensure a good hold on the load, bend correctly, slight bending of the back, hips and knees at the start of the lift, keeping the back posture constant, avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, keep the head up when handling, move smoothly, do not jerk or snatch the load, lift within you capacity, do not lift or handle more than can be easily managed, put down the load then adjust.
• Correct manual handling techniques for unusual loads, e.g. awkward shapes, uneven centre of gravity, moving more than one object at the same time, large loads.
• Correct manual handling techniques with the assistance of others: one person should plan and take charge of the operation, communicate with each other before and during the lift.

• Mechanical aids and their purpose i.e., reduce the risk of injury.
• Types of mechanical aids and benefits e.g., lever reduces bodily force to move a load, hand-powered hydraulic hoist supports the weight of a load leaving the handler free to control its position, trolley, sack truck, or roller conveyor reduces the effort required to move a load horizontally, chutes and flow racking use gravity to move loads from one place to another, hand-held hooks or suction pads simplify the problem of handling a load that is difficult to grasp, hand pallet trucks and roll cages are ways of moving bulky loads manually, turntables, inverters, drum rotators can be used to manipulate bulky loads, powered lift trucks move items such as pallets into position.

Factors:

• Training and competence in the use of mechanical aids in line with the manufacturer’s instruction
• Risk assessment specifically in the use of mechanical aids and controls
• Suitability of the equipment i.e., appropriate for the task considering the type of load, environment etc.
• Maintenance of the equipment i.e., inspections, servicing in line with manufacturer’s instructions (equipment may fall under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER))
• Consider the height at which loads are picked up or placed down and the distance over which they are moved.
• Process in place for defect reporting and quarantine to ensure defective equipment cannot be used
• Emergency procedures in the event of mechanical failures, accidents or situations where a load becomes unstable or falls.