Manual Handling

Do you comply with the Regulations.

Muskculoskeletal disorders (MSD's) caused by manual handling, affect muscles, joints and tendons and are the most common type of work related injuries in the UK. This affects 1.1 million people in a year and an estimated 12.3 million working days a year are lost to work-related MSD's*.

Factors causing this type of injury are evident in almost any occupation from health services to construction.

Some of the main areas that cause risks include:

Repetative and heavy lifting.

Bending and twisting.

Repeating an action too frequently.

An uncomfortable working position.

There are cost effective ways to prevent MSD's. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) establish clear measures for dealing with risks associated with manual handling.

These are:

Avoid hazardous manual handling operations so far as reasonably practicable.

Assess any hazardous manual handling operations that cannot be avoided.

Reduce the risk of injury so far as reasonably practicable.

Your risk assessment should include:

Observation of the tasks involved in the workplace.

Select the appropriate type of assessment.

If a task involves lifting and carrying, consider both.

Employees' co-operation in the development of good handling practice will help to ensure the best procedures are adopted. Any changes in Manual Handling practice must be monitored on an on-going basis, to check they are working.

Handling and lifting equipment such as trolleys, lifting tables, sack and hand trucks can significantly reduce the risk of injuries in the workplace.

Information for employees is a large extent in the duties of supplying information regarding manual handling, like the safe manual handling wallchart.

For extensive guidance to the above Regulations, the HSE publish "Manual Handling - Guidance to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992".

* HSE Statistics Dept.