Health and Safety Manual Handling Staff Information Manual First - Document... · Manual handling is the transportation or supporting of load (including the lifting, putting down,

DATASHEET DAT441/2.2 Effective: 21/10/16

Manual Handling Staff Information Manual

This copy is uncontrolled unless printed on ‘Contro lled’ paper

Author(s): Lee Bayliss Page 1 of 33 Cross-Referenced in Primary Document: MPD365

Health and Safety


Copy No:





Contents

Contents............................................................................................................................................2

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, As amended.......................................................... 4

What’s the problem? .........................................................................................................................4

What is manual handling? .................................................................................................................4

How are these injuries caused? ........................................................................................................4

The Regulations................................................................................................................................4

What’s my obligation? .......................................................................................................................6

What are my duties? .........................................................................................................................6

Do my employees have duties? ........................................................................................................6

Weight Guidelines.............................................................................................................................7

Risk Management Action Points........................................................................................................7

Factors Affecting Back Pain ..............................................................................................................8

Summary.........................................................................................................................................11

Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs).............................................................................11

What are WRULDs?........................................................................................................................11

What type of work can lead to WRULDs?........................................................................................11

Causes............................................................................................................................................12

Symptoms.......................................................................................................................................12

Managing WRULDs ........................................................................................................................12

Assessing the Risks ........................................................................................................................12

Reducing the Risk of WRULDs .......................................................................................................12

Task and Load Factors - Can there ever be a safe weight? ........................................................... 14

The Task - Using the Risk Assessment Filter ..................................................................................14

Limitations to Basic Guidelines........................................................................................................16

The Load.........................................................................................................................................17

The Working Environment...............................................................................................................18

The Individual..................................................................................................................................18

Team Handling................................................................................................................................19

Guide to Limits ................................................................................................................................19

Two-person team ............................................................................................................................19

Handling while seated .....................................................................................................................20

Guidelines for pushing and pulling...................................................................................................20

Using Roll Cages ............................................................................................................................20





What is the risk?..............................................................................................................................21

Causes of accidents........................................................................................................................21

Loading and unloading roll cages....................................................................................................22

Inspection and maintenance............................................................................................................22

Manual Handling of roll cages .........................................................................................................22

Pushing/pulling roll cages................................................................................................................22

Personal protective equipment ........................................................................................................23

Who should perform manual handling assessments?......................................................................23

Manual Handling Training .............................................................................................................. 23

Manual Handling Good Practice......................................................................................................24

Key Points.......................................................................................................................................24

Alternative Lifting Techniques ........................................................................................................ 26





Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, As ame nded What’s the problem?

More than one third of all reported1 injuries that last for over three days are caused by manual handling. Whilst fatal accidents are rare a great many manual handling incidents result in individuals being absent from work or unable to perform their normal duties for more than seven days and are therefore reportable to the Health and Safety Executive under the RIDDOR 2013 Regulations. What is manual handling?

Manual handling is the transportation or supporting of load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or by bodily force2. In the health care sector, manual handling accounts for about 55% of all staff injuries.

Manual handling injuries are often cumulative and cannot be attributed to a single event. Long term accumulation of this type can result in physical impairment or even permanent disability. The monitoring of manual handling operations is a continuing process and regular re-assessment should be demonstrated. Records are invaluable when investigating the more difficult claims of long term evolution of back problems, etc. Most of the reported accidents cause back injury, although hands, arms and feet are also vulnerable. The majority of manual handling incidents reported in the NHSBT are from Blood Donation. This may be due to the high level of manual handling activity in comparison to other areas or because they report more incidents.

How are these injuries caused?

Many manual handling injuries in the NHSBT are cumulative or build up over a period of time rather than being caused by a single event. These injuries occur in a wide variety of places, wherever our staff work e.g.: loading and unloading vehicles, on donor sessions, in hospitals, in offices, while making deliveries and a wide variety of other tasks. The Regulations

This section of the manual will give you general guidance on the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) which came into force on 1 January 1993 and was amended in 2002. The regulations implement European Directive 90/269/EEC on the manual handling of loads, supplement the general duties placed upon employers and others by The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the broad requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and replace a number of earlier, outdated legal provisions. 1 Reported to HSE and local authorities 2 Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992





Below there is a flow chart showing how to follow these regulations.

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes/Possibly

No

Yes

Yes/Possibly

No

No

Yes

Do the Regulations apply – ie does the work involve manual handling operations?

Is there a risk of injury?

Is it reasonably practicable to avoid moving the loads?

Is it reasonably practicable to automate or mechanise the operations?

Does some risk of manual handling injury remain?

Carry out manual handling assessment

Determine measures to reduce risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable

Implement the measures

Is risk of injury sufficiently reduced?

End of initial exercise

Review if conditions change significantly

No





What’s my obligation?

It makes sense to consult your employees about health and safety matters, but it is also a legal requirement. What are my duties?

As the employer or supervisor you should do the following:

Avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, as far as reasonably practicable. This may be done by redesigning the task to avoid moving the load or by automating or mechanising the process. Assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that cannot be avoided. Particularly the physical suitability of the employee to carry out the operations; the clothing, footwear or other personal effects he is wearing; his knowledge and training; the results of any general risk assessments3; whether the employee has been identified as being particularly at risk; and the results of health surveillance.4 Remove those parts of the task that are particularly hazardous as far as reasonably practicable. Reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, as far as reasonably practicable. Particular consideration should be given to the provision of mechanical assistance. Where this is not practicable then other improvements to the task, load and working environment should be explored. Monitor the task to ensure that controls you have put in place are effective, and keep abreast of technology to see if automation becomes reasonably practicable. Deliver appropriate Manual Handling Training to all affected employees. Do my employees have duties?

Yes, they do. Your employees should:

Follow appropriate systems of work laid down for their safety

Make proper use of equipment provided for their safety

Co-operate with you on health and safety matters

Inform you if they identify hazardous handling activities

Take care to ensure that their activities do not put others at risk

3 Carried out under Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. 4 Regulation 6 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.





Weight Guidelines

The Regulations set no specific requirements such as weight limits. Research has, however, shown that there are two factors that will affect the stresses and strains placed on the body: • The distance the load is carried away from the body

• The height at which the load is carried.

The following table gives an indication of how to identify when manual lifting and lowering operations may not need a detailed assessment. If the handler’s hands enter more than one zone during the operation, the smallest weight figures apply. There is more information in the section on task and load factors.

Larger Build Smaller Build Arm Height Arms

Extended (kg) Close to body (kg)

Arms Extended (kg)

Close to body (kg)

Head 5 10 3 7 Shoulder 5 10 3 7 Elbow 10 20 7 13 Knuckle 15 25 10 16 Knee 10 20 7 13 Feet 5 10 3 7

Risk Management Action Points

Manual handling involving risk of employee injury must be avoided, so far as reasonably practicable; Risk assessments are compulsory where it is not reasonably practicable to avoid manual handling; The risks of any manual handling operation must be reduced to the lowest level reasonably practicable; It is unacceptable for staff to be expected to lift high-dependency patients without mechanical assistance where required; The "drag-lift" must be banned; A culture that encourages staff to report actual or potential practice which falls below the accepted norm should be promoted; Adequate manual handling training for all relevant staff is essential and must be ongoing; There needs to be an appropriate mix of staff on duty to ensure safe lifting.





Factors Affecting Back Pain

There are many factors which may affect back pain:

Type of work

• Handling operations can create a direct strain on the spine especially where inappropriate techniques are used

• Demanding time schedules and deadlines or `job and finish’ work practices often require workers to take shortcuts and disregard safe handling measures

• Highly repetitive work may cause fatigue and thus increases the likelihood of accidents • Lack of movement especially in sedentary work may lead to muscle stiffness and damage

through bad posture.

Working Environment

• Cramped, poorly designed workplaces and equipment can often lead to employees performing incorrect manual handling techniques

• Ineffective lighting, temperature and humidity control increase discomfort and may cause potentially dangerous distractions

• Untidy workplaces with `slip, trip and fall’ hazards often compromise work practice and may cause accidents.

Training

• A lack of understanding of how the back works and how it can be injured leads to careless and hazardous actions

• Incomplete training will leave employees feeling overconfident through partial knowledge and understanding

• Without continual assessment and refresher training, people will revert to their old techniques • The message of good lifting technique must be regularly reinforced • Deterioration in the standard of handling technique may lead to false assumptions regarding

the level of safety in that area.

Exertion injuries

• Are non-accidental injuries caused by putting too much stress on a part of the body? • Result in spontaneous failure of the affected area • Make you stop or modify the technique you are using • Can range from small incidents which may affect you for a few minutes to severe injuries

needing a long recovery period.

Accidental injuries

• Caused by falling, slipping or any other accidental mishap • May result in major damage and long recovery periods (muscle damage and scar tissue).

Psychological factors

• You are more likely to make mistakes if you are stressed or tired • Depression or anxiety may manifest itself as a physical complaint.





Genetic makeup and body type

• Research shows that some people’s discs are genetically more likely to fail when put under pressure

• Employees suffering from obesity often experience higher wear and tear of the joints and spine

• Taller workers are exposed to increased leverage effects on the spine.

Disease

• Osteoporosis caused by changes in the metabolism • Auto-immune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Age and cumulative strain Degeneration

The normal aging process produces wear and tear in all the weight-bearing joints, including the spine. The degree of wear and tear, however, varies between individuals and may be accelerated by other factors. For example, the repeated vibration and shocks on the spine experienced by a lorry or tractor driver, or the additional stresses placed upon the spine of a heavy person.

• The natural aging process weakens the spinal structure and decreases the spine’s flexibility

• Exposure to other risk factors contributes to back problems and accelerates natural degeneration

• Minor damage to the spine and key related tissue such as muscles and ligaments will accumulate over time and can eventually lead to major injuries.

Load bearing guidelines suggest that:

• The maximum safe load limit for workers over 50 years of age should be 30% less than that for the 24-40 age group.

Cumulative strain is progressive degeneration caused by:

• Stooping, twisting and over-stretching

• Poor seated posture

• Repetitive or prolonged muscle action, which leads to muscle fatigue and general body stiffness

• Excessive and continual muscle tension

• Lack of movement • Prolonged use of excessive force

• Awkward body postures

• Insufficient rest • Repetitive tasks

How it manifests:

• General body stiffening





• Rapid fatigue • Injury • Pain and physical incapacity

Gender

• Men are approximately 30% stronger

Lifestyle Fitness:

• Low levels of fitness cause a poor tolerance to physical activity and lack of strength • Fatigue and exertion lessen the muscles’ ability to support and control movement and thereby

put your back at risk.

Posture:

• Stressful positions, which increase the stress on the spine i.e. being slumped on the sofa • Stress free positions: reduce pressure and load on discs.

Pregnancy

(New and expectant mothers risk assessment) • Weight increase heightens the pressure on the spine and discs • Physical limitations of movement make it more difficult to use appropriate manual handling

techniques • Medical evidence suggests that the more children a woman has the more likely she is to suffer

from disc prolapse.

Smoking

• Nicotine affects the blood supply to the spine and thereby reduces the ability of the muscles to support movement.

Diet Low Nutritional Diet

• Reduces the ability to concentrate making accidents more likely • Affects fitness and general health leading to problems in many of the areas covered above.

Leisure

• Sport, strenuous exercises and physical work • Accidental injuries occurring at home • Physical and mental fatigue and stress caused by non work-related issue carry over to the

workplace.

Traumatic injury

Traumatic injury is caused by sudden, violent stresses applied to the spine. This can result in damage to the muscles, ligaments and intervertebral discs or vertebrae. Poor handling and lifting techniques, where the spine is exposed to a sudden lifting of a load, often cause this





injury. For example, when a co-lifter fails to lift or when a lifter is trying to save a person who suddenly loses balance.

Cumulative stress

This condition is probably the most common cause of back pain but the least recognised. As the term implies, cumulative stress occurs gradually. Poor sitting and standing postures, poorly designed work environments and poor muscle condition can all result in twinges of back pain. These twinges are an indication that the spine is being subjected to minor stress and an accumulation of these small incidents may lead to a significant episode of back pain.

Psychological Psychological pain with no physical symptoms may occur in cases of hysteria, depression or acute anxiety. A generally poor physical condition is also a factor, which will increase the likelihood of back injury through an accident. Chronic back pain sufferers may become depressed and experience exaggerated pain perception.

Summary

• The most severe and chronic back pain usually comes from the intervertebral discs.

• The apophyseal joints, sacroiliac joints and ligaments are also common sites of pain.

• Muscles may cause brief attacks of pain.

• Discs are most easily damaged by heavy lifting and the apophyseal joints by twisting.

• Damage can occur by injury or by the accumulation of “fatigue” during repetitive loading.

• Degenerative changes in spinal tissues may well follow structural damage.

• Postural pain may arise from abnormal or chronic loading of undamaged tissues.

Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs)

See also MPD371 – Prevention and control of Work Related Upper Limb Disorders

What are WRULDs?

Work Related Upper Limb Disorders are conditions, which affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves or other soft tissues and joints and are caused or made worse by work.

What type of work can lead to WRULDs?

Any type of work that involves a worker using their arms to carry out tasks can lead to WRULDs. Computer use and assembly work are frequently associated with ULDs, but there are many other tasks that may have higher risks.





Causes

A WRULD can be caused by a variety of work tasks. The risk factors associated with upper limb disorders are repetition, posture (awkward or prolonged), force, duration of exposure, vibration, heat or cold, psychosocial factors and individual differences.

Symptoms

There is a wide range of symptoms, including tenderness, aches and pain, stiffness, weakness, tingling, numbness, cramp or swelling.

Managing WRULDs

They can be successfully managed in the workplace by: • understanding the issues and commit to action;

• creating the right organisational environment;

• assessing the risk of WRULDs in your workplace;

• reducing the risks of WRULDs;

• educating and inform your workforce;

• managing any episodes of WRULDs;

• carrying out regular checks on programme effectiveness5.

Someone can also develop a WRULD outside the workplace. If this is the case, you need to ensure that the person’s tasks do not make the injury worse.

Assessing the Risks

Once you have carried out your General Risk Assessment you will be able to make a judgment about which tasks need to have a full Manual Handling risk assessment.

Reducing the Risk of WRULDs

General Tips for Managers • Changes do not necessarily need to be expensive. Simple and low cost changes can

often be effective;

• Try to consider risk when setting up new workstations. It is cheaper than redesigning them or purchasing more suitable tools at a later stage;

• Tackle the serious risks or those that affect a large number of workers first.

• Try to make the task and workstation suitable for each worker, rather than make the worker adapt to fit the task and workstation;

• Test any changes on one or two workers before making changes for everyone.

5 Upper Limb Disorders in the Workplace HSG60 2002





Problem Cause Solution

Repeating an action

This uses the same muscles over and over again. The more a task is repeated, the greater the risk. The speed at which the job becomes `risky’ depends on the task itself. Movement of the whole arm at low speed may be just as risky as small but quick movements.

• Break up work periods involving a lot of repetition with several short breaks instead of one break at lunchtime or mid-shift.

• Allow for short, frequent pauses for very intensive work.

• Mechanise higher risk tasks.

Uncomfortable working positions

These include moving the arm to an extreme position, e.g. working above head height, working with a very bent elbow, or holding something in the same place for a period of time.

• Design workplaces and equipment for workers of different sizes, build, strength and for left-handed workers.

• Provide platforms, adjustable chairs and footrests, and tools with a suitable size grip.

• Arrange the position and height and layout of the workstation so that it is appropriate for the work.

Using a lot of force

This includes handling heavy objects, carrying out fast movement or having to overcome friction, such as undoing a bolt.

• Reduce the weight of items, or the distance moved or slide them instead of lifting.

• Provide levers. • Provide lightweight tools and, if

not, a support, jig or counterbalance will help.

• Purchase low vibration tools and maintain them properly so that they are not stiff.

• Distribute force, e.g. over the palm of the hand and not just one finger.

Carrying out a task for a long period of time

The risk of injury generally increases with the length of time that a task is carried out. Carrying out a task for a short period of time is unlikely to cause an injury, except where the task requires a lot of effort.

• Share a high-risk task among a team by rotating workers between tasks (each task needs to be sufficiently different to benefit the worker).

• Allow workers to carry out more than one step of a process (provided the steps do not have the same risks).

• Introduce short frequent breaks in the more risky activities (but not necessarily a rest).





Problem Cause Solution

Poor working environment

Working in cold temperatures or handling cold items; dim light, shadow or glare which causes a worker to adopt an awkward position to see better; and vibration can increase the risk of ULDs.

• Make sure that the temperature is reasonable, and avoid putting workstations too near air vents.

• Make sure that the lighting is good or provide a personal lamp. Avoid reflections and glare by moving lights, providing blinds on windows, or moving workstations.

Underlying effects of the work and conditions

Individuals are different in terms of their body size and reach, age, ability (particularly in the case of new or pregnant employees), health and disabilities. Some workers are more affected by certain risks. Some may differ in their attitude towards safe working practices and in reporting any symptoms.

• Encourage teamwork, and provide good communication between workers and management.

• Rotate workers between tasks to reduce boredom.

• Watch the production speed to keep the workload reasonable.

• Train workers so that they feel able to do the task.

• Get the right balance for bonus schemes as such schemes could encourage workers to work beyond their natural limits.

• Involve workers in decisions about them and their work.

Task and Load Factors - Can there ever be a safe we ight?

The Task - Using the Risk Assessment Filter

When manual handling operations cannot be avoided, employers have a duty to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health. This assessment must take into account a wide range of relevant factors as described in this section.

To carry out a detailed assessment of every manual handling operation would be a huge task, very time consuming and costly. To help identify situations where a more detailed risk assessment is necessary, HSE has developed a filter to screen out straightforward cases. The intention is to set out an approximate boundary within which the load is unlikely to create a risk of injury and provide a reasonable level of protection to around 95% of working men and women.

“However, the guidelines should not be regarded as safe weights for lifting. There is no threshold below which manual handling operations may be regarded as `safe’. Even operations





lying within the boundary mapped out by the guidelines should be avoided or made less demanding wherever it is reasonably practicable to do so.”6

The basic guideline figures for identifying when manual lifting and lowering operations may not need a detailed assessment can be found in Figure 22 of the Guidance to The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (L23). An extract is shown below and in the first section of this manual.

The guidelines for lifting and lowering assume that the load is easy to grasp with both hands and the working conditions are reasonable with the person carrying out the task in a stable position. Close to body Away from body Man Woman Man Woman

10 kg

20 kg

25 kg

20 kg

10 kg

7 kg

13 kg

16 kg

13 kg

7 kg

5 kg

10 kg

15 kg

10 kg

5 kg

3 kg

7 kg

10 kg

7 kg

3 kg

Shoulder height

Elbow height

Knuckle height

Mid lower leg height

Lower leg height

These figures have some provisos, they are for:

• relatively infrequent operations – up to approximately 30 operations per hour and must be reduced if the operation is repeated more often

• where the handler can control the pace of work

• there are opportunities for rest or other work activities

• where the handler does not need to support the load for any length of time

• if the load can be held against the body and carried no further than 10 m without a rest.

• Where it reads man or woman it is also applicable for individuals of either gender with a large or small physique

6 Guidance to the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992





Poor posture

Posture is also very important when assessing a task. Poor posture can put stresses and strains on the back, this can lead to a shift in the normal balance of the body increasing the strain on muscles and putting pressure on the intervertebral discs which may result in a sudden prolapse.

Examples of tasks that increase the risk of poor posture:

• Twisting or stooping

• Reaching up

• Excessive lifting or lowering distances

• Sudden movement of a load i.e. freeing a jammed box; the load shifting inside the box.

Stress and strain on the body can be increased with a slow build up of exertion; although at first the task may seem easy there are several ways in which, over a period of time, the effect may increase the risk of poor posture and increased likelihood of injury. Examples of this type of task:

• Excessive carrying distances

• Excessive pushing/pulling

• Frequent or prolonged effort

• Repetitive movements

• Work rate which is imposed by a process

• Tasks that provide insufficient rest/recovery periods.

Limitations to Basic Guidelines

Repeated operations

• Reduce individual capability (weight) by 30% if operation repeated once or twice per minute.

• Reduce individual capability (weight) by 50% if operation repeated five to eight times per minute.

• Reduce individual capability (weight) by 80% if operation repeated twelve or more times per minute.

AND

• Reduce by 10% when the handler twists through 45o.

• Reduce by 20% when the handler twists through 90o.

For example: the average man, moving a load twelve times per minute and twisting through 90o, could `safely’ move 4 kg, which is equivalent to four bags of sugar. If the lifting operation includes stooping then lifting capability is reduced, in other words the risk of injury is much greater.





For example:

• 20 degree stoop reduces capability by 25%



Additionally, if the load is moved away from the trunk, the level of stress on the lower back rises and the individual capability is reduced the further away the load is held from the body. Reduction of individual handling capability as the hands move away from the trunk

0

1 0 0

9 0

8 0

7 0

6 0

5 0

4 0

3 0

2 0

1 0Indi

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ility

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Please note: If the task requires the handler to s toop, twist AND hold the hands away from the body, all of these factors must be calcula ted together.

The Load

Heavy load?

When assessing the load, the weight is only one of the factors that should be considered. Employees should be told that all loads should be tested before moving and if the individual feels that they cannot lift or move the load safely then help should be obtained. Other considerations are listed below.

Bulky or unwieldy load?

The shape of the load can be very important. For example, an aluminium step ladder is fairly light, but when carrying it between two sites of work, it is found that due to the length of the ladder it is difficult to handle around tight corners, up and down stairs and in small confined spaces. Sacks, large or awkwardly-shaped objects may also prove to be a problem, especially if vision becomes impaired, increasing the risk of trip and fall or hitting other obstructions. A gust of wind could also unbalance the carrier. In general, if the object is greater than 75 cm wide there is likely to be a significant risk in the safe handling of the object.





Unbalanced load?

If the load is unbalanced it will also increase the difficulty of lifting and moving: VDUs, filing cabinets and other items of office equipment. Associated with this are loads that are likely to become unbalanced.

Load likely to shift?

Certain loads may shift whilst being moved, causing a potential risk to the mover, for example an animal or a load containing water. Load difficult to grasp?

Smooth edges might be difficult to grasp, or if the object is wet or greasy; temperature and sharp or rough edges might also have a bearing on the handling of the load.

The Working Environment

The load may be easy to lift and handle but many problems are caused by either poor preparation or other environmental problems, which may affect the lifting/moving operation. Poor preparation

This may include factors that are due to the environment where lifting is taking place and therefore possibly outside the control of the person carrying out the task. However, there are many other reasons why poor preparation can exacerbate the problems of manual handling. • Is there adequate space for the load to be set down?

• Are there any trip hazards?

• Are there any doors or other openings to be negotiated?

• Are there space constraints?

Physical working environment

This includes features such as condition of surfaces, headroom, narrow passageways, potential obstructions and lighting conditions. Atmospheric environment

Potential problems to be considered: light, heat, humidity, rain, frost, fog, etc.

The Individual

There are many factors that can affect an individual’s ability to carry out manual handling tasks, including:

Gender - it is generally accepted that men can lift more than women, however, there will be a vast difference in individual capacity within these groups.

Pregnancy - hormones change during pregnancy, which can affect the ligaments and joint laxity. This increases the risk of injury during manual handling tasks. As pregnancy progresses, particularly during the last three months, good posture becomes difficult to achieve and this further reduces manual handling capability. Women returning to work during the three months after childbirth need to have particular care.





See also the NHSBT policy on New and Expectant Mothers MPD368.

Age - again it would be generally accepted that as we get older our capacity for lifting becomes reduced. An individual is usually at peak performance during their early 20s, gradually declining after that, age becoming more significant from the mid-40s. The risk of injury may be higher for employees in their teens or in their late 50s and 60s and care must be taken when designing tasks for those likely to be working to their maximum capacity. In addition, older workers may become tired more quickly and take longer to recover from injury.

State of health - the changing state of a person’s health may affect their ability to perform certain manual handling tasks. This may include pregnancy in women, a temporary incapacity, or a heart problem that would be a permanent incapacity. Some manual handling tasks may require certain individual characteristics such as: strength; height and weight; physical fitness and dexterity.

Clothing - personal protective equipment may inhibit the task, however, all clothing should be assessed: a short dress or unsuitable shoes may mean poor posture needs to be adopted when performing a task; loose clothing such as a tie may be a potential hazard.

Knowledge/skill/training - probably the most important aspect of lifting or moving objects is that the individual should have sufficient knowledge of the principles of manual handling. Providing all staff involved in manual handling with sufficient training ensures that they are capable of assessing their tasks.

Team Handling

Whilst team handling by two or more persons can reduce the risks to a single person, they can also impose their own problems: • During movement there is often a shift in the load the individual has to carry, this can be

made worse when moving up and down steps or slopes or carrying over uneven ground.

• The height of the carriers can also affect weight distribution and it is best to ensure that team members are roughly the same height.

• Vision or movement may be impaired by the physical proximity of other team members, especially when working with small, heavy weights.

Guide to Limits

Two-person team Men Women

Divide the sum of the individual capabilities by two thirds

25 kg + 25 kg = 33 kg 2/3

16 kg + 16 kg = 21 kg 2/3

Three-person team Men Women

Divide the sum of their individual capabilities by half

25 kg + 25 kg + 25 kg = 37.5kg 1/2

16 kg +16 kg + 16 kg = 24kg 2/3





Handling while seated

This can create problems of its own:

• It prevents the use of the powerful muscles of the lower limbs and increases the load on the arms and the lower back.

• Unless the load is presented close to the body, the person will have to reach or lean forward; this could cause their seat to move.

• Lifting from below the level of the work surface will inevitably result in stooping or twisting.

Guidelines for handling while seated

Handling while seated should only be carried out where the loads meet the guideline illustrated below. These guidelines only apply when the hands are in the boxed zone indicated. A detailed assessment will be required where these guidelines cannot be observed.

Men Women

Guidelines for pushing and pulling

When moving equipment on wheels, such as roll-cages , it is recommended that the

maximum force to get the load moving should be 25 kg for men and 16 kg for women. When the load is moving, the force required should be no more than 10 kg for men and 7 kg for women. A spring balance should be used to measure the above. There is no specific limit to the distance over which the load is pushed or pulled, provided there are adequate opportunities for rest or recovery.

Using Roll Cages

Roll cages or roll containers have four running castors and a wire cage; they are used to contain goods during transport. The use of a roll cage reduces the need for manual handling and may allow goods to be taken from the warehouse or stores to where they are needed. The roll cages themselves need to be manually handled in some situations and can carry up to 500 kg in goods.

5 kg

3 kg





They have become a significant source of accidents and a study has recently been completed on behalf of the HSE into why this is so.7 For example they accounted for: • 3% of reported RIDDOR reportable accidents in Sheffield (as a whole, not just the NHSBT)

• 30% of manual handling accidents to sales assistants referred to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital

• 35% of reported accidents in one sector of a major distribution company

• 20% of reported accidents in a major supermarket chain.

What is the risk?

There are several risks associated with roll cages: getting the load moving for example is straightforward on a flat even surface, but if the ground is uneven or on a slope, the forces needed to push or pull may require an individual risk assessment. Hands and fingers (26%) are easily trapped on the corners of the cages and feet run over by the castors; in addition ankles often come into contact with the corners or base of the cage (22%). A high proportion of incidents are associated with pulling containers (44%), compared with pushing (7%). Loading and unloading of lorries, particularly tail lifts, is a significant source of accidents, often causing the most serious injuries. Accidents can be reduced by:

• loading and unloading on flat ground or at purpose-designed bays

• proper restraint of roll cages in the vehicle during loading and unloading

• well maintained tail lifts with side and end ramps or stops and restraining straps to ensure that roll containers are properly restrained

• well planned procedures which ensure that personnel are not in the hazard zone during operation of tail lifts etc and which ensure that riding loaded tail lifts is not necessary.

There are NHSBT written safe systems of work for “moving the roller cage” (DAT 179) and “moving the roller cage – vehicles without side restraining bars on tail lift” (DAT691)

Causes of accidents

The most common injury site (from the study on Safety of roll containers, Health and Safety Laboratory 2002) is the foot/ankle and the most common sites for the incidents to take place are lorries, tail lifts and on slopes or ramps. The following circumstances give examples of the causes of accidents: • wheel collapses leading to toppling;

• wheels jamming due to entanglement with cling film;

• straps breaking;

• over-height stacking leading to product toppling;

• overturns at concrete expansion joints;

7 Safety of roll containers, Health and Safety Laboratory 2002





• defective roll cages not being taped and put out of commission;

• staff climbing into or over roll cages.

Loading and unloading roll cages

When loading roll cages it is important to secure them so they don’t move around when travelling, but also to ensure that the load can be safely unloaded at the destination, particularly if the unloading area is not level. When unloading vehicles, staff need to keep clear of moving vehicles, cages being moved by others and of tail lifts or levelling platforms while they are being operated.

Inspection and maintenance

Inspection should be carried out each time the roll cages are used and should include the following: • A check for damaged castors or protruding wires. In particular, castors and side plates

should be vertical and firmly mounted onto the chassis;

• A check that all castors rotate freely and that swivel castor bearings rotate freely. Any tape or string should be removed and properly disposed of;

• Folding sides, shelves and floors should fit correctly when containers are assembled or disassembled.

There is a legal duty under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, 1998, to maintain work equipment so that it is safe. All roll cages should be subject to regular maintenance from NHSBT contracted engineers.

Manual Handling of roll cages

The forces involved in the movement of roll cages will depend on factors such as the type of surface and the rolling resistance of the wheels. Rougher floors, such as brushed concrete, will need significantly higher starting forces than smooth concrete. Larger wheels will have a lower rolling resistance and will also be less sensitive to floor roughness. The force that an individual is capable of exerting is dependent, as with any manual handling activity, on a number of personal factors. The size, sex and age of personnel have a bearing on the force that can be exerted. Females were found to be capable of exerting only 60% of the force of male workers, and older workers (male and female) could not exert as much force as younger workers. Posture is also important. Maximum pushing force is applied when feet are well spaced and the hands are high. This is the opposite when pulling as you need feet close together and a low hand height to develop the maximum pulling force.

Pushing/pulling roll cages

In practice, both pushing and pulling are likely to be necessary, particularly during manoeuvring of cages in confined areas. The relative merits of both are listed below.





Pushing

Roll cage manufacturers generally advise that roll cages be pushed rather than pulled. Pushing the roll cage has a number of safety advantages for staff: • If the member of staff stumbles or slips then the roll cage is moving away from them and the

risk of injury by impact from the cage is reduced;

• The risk of accidents involving staff pulling the cage onto their own feet or ankles would be significantly lower. These commonly occur when the person stops but the cage does not;

• Pushing provides a better posture for the person who does not need to twist in order to see where he or she is going;

• The cage is less likely to tip if the fixed castors are leading.

Both hands should be used to equalise the load on the person’s body and to provide good directional control. The disadvantage of pushing is that the person cannot see the area immediately in front of the roll cage. This risk can be minimised if the roll cage is only filled to the height that the person can see over. Pulling

Pulling facing forward means that the person has a full view in front of the roll cage, but it is virtually impossible to keep both hands on the cage and increases the risk of losing control. Heels and ankles may also be caught very easily unless a pulling handle is used, which again results in a loss of control. The one advantage of pulling rather than pushing would be to reduce the risk of impact on others in the path of the roll cage. Realistically, someone walking backwards pulling a roll cage is also going to be the cause of accidents.

Personal protective equipment

Gloves and safety shoes will greatly reduce the risk of injury when using roll cages.

Who should perform manual handling assessments?

Manual handling risk assessments should only be carried out by trained manual handling assessors. Where manual handling risks are unusual, it may be necessary to seek advice from the Health and Safety Adviser or a handling expert.

Manual Handling Training

Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAWA) and Regulations 8 and 11 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSAW) require employers to provide their employees with health and safety information and training.

Regulation 4(1) (b) (ii) (MHOR) requires this training to be supplemented with more specific information and training on manual handling injury risks and prevention, as part of the steps to reduce risk.





A programme of training manual handling trainers and risk assessors is taking place nationally during the next few years, followed by on-the-job training of all staff involved in handling loads. In-house training should be based around the principles of correct lifting techniques and the dangers involved in manual handling so that employees are able to make suitable and sufficient assessments themselves where appropriate, and understand the results of manual handling risk assessments.

The Guidance to the Regulations suggests the following:

• How to recognise potentially hazardous handling operations

• How the hazard might be avoided

• How to deal with unavoidable and unfamiliar handling operations

• The proper use of handling aids

• The proper use of personal protective equipment

• Features of the working environment that contribute to safety

• The importance of appropriate housekeeping

• Factors affecting individual capability

• Good handling technique

In addition you may wish to consider their responsibilities under both statute law and common law as we discuss on the manual handling trainers course.8 In short, employees have duties under the HASAWA (Reg 7) to:

Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their activities; and

Co-operate with their employers to enable them to comply with their health and safety duties and the MHSAW (Reg 12) to generally make use of appropriate equipment provided for them, in accordance with their training and the instructions their employer has given them. Such equipment will include machinery and other aids provided for the safe handling of loads. Regulation 5 of the MHOR supplements these general duties, requiring employees to follow appropriate safe systems of work laid down by their employer to promote safety during the handling of loads.

Note : these provisions do not preclude well-intentioned improvisation in an emergency, for example during efforts to rescue a casualty, fight a fire or contain a dangerous spillage.

Manual Handling Good Practice

Key Points

• Use body weight and muscles…and your brain

• Prepare yourself and the site

• Don’t twist or stoop 8 Refer to page 37 of the Guidance to the Regulations





• Don’t lift beyond your capacity

• Lift close to your body

• Avoid repetition or reduce the weight

Remember that your health and that of other people may depend on your correct lifting technique.

• Stop and think

• Position your feet

• Adopt a good posture

• Get a firm grip

• Keep close to the load

• Don’t Jerk

• Move your feet

• Put down then adjust

• Stop and think

• Position your feet

• Adopt a good posture

• Get a firm grip

• Keep close to the load

• Don’t jerk

• Move your feet

• Put down then adjust

• Vary tasks





Alternative Lifting Techniques





























Documents

Health and Safety Manual Handling Staff Information Manual First - Document... · Manual handling is the transportation or supporting of load (including the lifting, putting down,