In some cases, poor manual handling can lead to permanent disability and physical impairment – so pay attention, the stakes are high.
The Law
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 apply to all manual handling activities carried by employees whilst at work. As an employer, it’s your responsibility to undertake a risk assessment of all manual handling activities and determine a hierarchy of risk control in order to minimise injury and ill-health risks to your staff. Below are our top tips for ensuring safety at your business.
Why is manual handling an issue under H&S law?
Manual handling is not only about lifting but also lowering items, pushing items, pulling items, carrying items and repeated movement of items. Back injury is not the only type of injury from manual handling. Injuries are reported concerning:
- Hands
- Feet
- Arms
- Legs
- Lacerations
- Fractures
Clearly costs to business due to injury are huge, comprising sick pay, the cost of loss of skilled employee, replacement/temporary staff, civil claims, criminal prosecution and increased insurance premiums.
Figures from the HSE report that musculo-skeletal disorder cases in 2011/12 represented 439,000 out of a total 1,073 000 reported work-related illnesses. Costs for manual handling injuries have been estimated at £6bn in lost production.
What does the law require regarding manual handling?
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to:
- Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided
- Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
What are the rules for good manual handling?
Remember the following for safe manual handling:
- Lift only within your capability
- Two people are better than one
- Bend your knees and keep your back straight
- Use your thighs
- Get a good grip
- Rest the load mid-way if possible
- Frequent lifting of smaller weights is better than a one-off lift of a heavy load
- Hold the heaviest part of the load closest to the body
Top tips for manual handling
Review all manual handling tasks and mechanise whatever you can and…
- Avoid manual handling tasks wherever possible - remember that manual handling covers pushing and pulling as well as lifting
- Remember there is no legal maximum weight that people can lift – it depends on their capability
- Complete Risk Assessments for all manual handling tasks
- Share information with employees and others – put weight loads on boxes and packages
- Train employees in good manual handling practices
- Team lifting is an acceptable way of organising lifting but it does need to have proper planning
- Where mechanical aids are used ensure that they are regularly maintained and serviced and have any statutory inspections e.g. lifting aids/hoists.
Pat Perry is executive chairman at health and safety consultants Perry Scott Nash