Manual Handling - The Whole Story!

1. Manual Handling - The Whole Story! Mark Mallen Health and Safety Manager Fenlock Hansen Ltd Hansen – Managing Safely

2. Introduction • The Whole Story? Hansen – Managing Safely

3. Agenda • What is manual handling? • What’s the problem? • Legal framework • How to comply? • Manual handling technique Hansen – Managing Safely

4. Objectives • List 5 injuries from manual handling • Define ergonomics • List 5 factors in an assessment • State where we find guidance • Conduct an assessment Hansen – Managing Safely

5. What Is Manual Handling? • Lifting • Moving • Carrying • Pushing • Pulling Hansen – Managing Safely

6. What Is Manual Handling? • Legal definition • ‘Any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or by bodily force’ • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 Hansen – Managing Safely

7. What’s the Problem? • Some statistics • More than a third of plus 3-day injuries • Injuries build up • Can lead to permanent disability • Occur in all workplaces Hansen – Managing Safely

8. Some Statistics! Hansen – Managing Safely

9. Some Statistics! Hansen – Managing Safely

10. Some Statistics! Hansen – Managing Safely

11. Types of Injuries • Musculoskeletal • Strains and sprains • Fractures • Hernias • Prolapsed (slipped) disc Hansen – Managing Safely

12. Types of Injuries • Other injuries • Wounds • Burns Hansen – Managing Safely

13. How We Can Get Hurt? • The Task • Lifting • Moving • Carrying • Pushing • Pulling Hansen – Managing Safely

14. Additional Factors • The load • Weight • Appendix I - guidelineweights • For infrequent operations - 30 per hour • Once or twice per minute, reduce by 30% • Five to eight times, reduce by 50% • Twelve times, reduce by 80% Hansen – Managing Safely

15. Additional Factors • Additional hazards • Bulky • Difficult to grasp • Unstable • Sharp edges • Hot or cold • Wet • Oily Hansen – Managing Safely

16. Additional Factors • The workplace • Floor surfaces • Variations in floor levels • Cramped work area • Lighting • Untidy • Hot or cold • Humid Hansen – Managing Safely

17. Additional Factors • Individual capacity • The guideline weights are intended to give reasonable protection to • Nearly all men • Between half and two thirds of women Hansen – Managing Safely

18. Additional Factors • Peoples’ capacities vary • Age • Sex • Physical build Hansen – Managing Safely

19. Additional Factors • Pregnancy can increase the risk • Posture • Hormonal Hansen – Managing Safely

20. Legal Background • Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 Hansen – Managing Safely

21. Employers’ Duties • Each employer shall: • ‘So far as is reasonably practicable, avoid the need for employees to undertake manual handling operations, which involve a risk of injury’ Hansen – Managing Safely

22. Employers’ Duties • Where they cannot be avoided • Make a suitable and sufficient assessment • Take steps to reduce the risk of injury • Provide information on the load • Provide training • Regularly review assessments and controls Hansen – Managing Safely

23. Employees’ Duties • Manual handling operations regulations 1992, regulation 5 • Each employee while at work shall make full and proper use of any system of work provided for his use by his employer in compliance with regulation 4(1)(b)(ii) of these regulations Hansen – Managing Safely

24. Employees’ Duties • Use the controls provided • Co-operate with the employer on health and safety matters • Take care not to put themselves or others at risk Hansen – Managing Safely

25. How to Comply • Establish if a risk of injury exists • Wherever possible (so far as is reasonably practicable) • Employers should attempt to avoid the need for manual handling • No hazard - no risk Hansen – Managing Safely

26. How to Comply • Elimination - mechanisation • Hoists • Fork lift trucks • Conveyors Hansen – Managing Safely

27. How to Comply • If we cannot eliminate • We must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk • Deploy ergonomic controls Hansen – Managing Safely

28. How to Comply • We have procedures • And, assessment pro-forma • Information,instruction, and training Hansen – Managing Safely

29. Practical • Conduct an assessment • Based on a workplace task • Using Hansen pro forma Hansen – Managing Safely

30. How to Comply • Ergonomics • Fitting the job to the person, rather than the person to the job Hansen – Managing Safely

31. The Ergonomic Approach • Mechanical assistance • Suction pads • Hoists • Lifting cradles Hansen – Managing Safely

32. The Ergonomic Approach • The task • Improve workplace layout • Reduce the amount of twisting and stooping • Avoid excessive bending and stretching • Reduce carrying distances Hansen – Managing Safely

33. The Ergonomic Approach • The task • Avoid repetitive handling • Job rotation • Team handling • Adequate rest periods Hansen – Managing Safely

34. The Ergonomic Approach • The load • Reduce the weight • Make it easier to hold • Provider appropriate containers • Make it less damaging to hold Hansen – Managing Safely

35. The Ergonomic Approach • The working environment • Remove obstructions • Improve the flooring • Avoid steps and steep ramps Hansen – Managing Safely

36. The Ergonomic Approach • The working environment • Prevent extremes of hot and cold • Provide adequate lighting • House keeping regime Hansen – Managing Safely

37. The Ergonomic Approach • The individual • Take care of those with physical weakness • Look after pregnant workers • Provide information on the load • Provide training in good handling technique Hansen – Managing Safely

38. The Ergonomic Approach • Conclude practical exercise • Using the ergonomic approach Hansen – Managing Safely

39. The Ergonomic Approach • Individual benefits • Makes work easier • Less tiring • Less likely to sustain injury • Improves your productivity Hansen – Managing Safely

40. The Ergonomic Approach • Company benefits • Reduces accidents • Ensures legal compliance • Reduces costs • Improves productivity Hansen – Managing Safely

41. The Ergonomic Approach • The biggest benefit for everybody Hansen – Managing Safely

42. What Next? • Conduct assessments • In conjunction with Risk Assessments • Use people doing the job • Set up ‘assessment teams’ • Assess tasks • Use the assessments • Improve Hansen – Managing Safely

43. Objectives • List 5 injuries from manual handling • What is ergonomics • List 5 factors in an assessment • State where we find guidance • Demonstrate ability to conduct an assessment Hansen – Managing Safely

44. The Whole Story • Thanks for listening • Any questions • Don’t forget • Be Safe! Hansen – Managing Safely