Manual Handling

What is manual handling? Defined in the manual handling regulations as – “Transporting or supporting of a load by hand or by bodily force” by? Pulling Lifting Carrying Pushing

Objective Outcome To train all of our colleagues to lift and shift safely without causing harm to themselves or others Key factors All stores are different and have varied stock and storage areas Training admin staff

Manual Handling Injuries Manual handling can result in fatigue, and lead to injuries of the back, neck, shoulders, arms or other body parts. Two groups of injuries may result from manual handling: • Cuts, bruises, fractures etc., due to sudden, unexpected events such as accidents • Damage to the musculoskeletal system of the body (muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, joints, blood vessels and nerves) as a consequence of gradual and cumulative wear and tear through repetitive manual handling. Manual handling injuries can occur almost anywhere in the workplace and heavy manual labour, awkward postures and previous or existing injury can increase the risk. Back pain is the most common of the work related musculo-skeletal disorders Back injury is the largest single cause of long term sick leave 60% of adults suffer back problems annually 50% of those people will have another attack within a year 30% of adults become chronic sufferers Prevalence is increasing among 16-24 year olds Most episodes of back pain last 6-10 days.

The Law – why? Health and Safety at work Act 1974 (HSAWA) Management of Health and Safety at Work 1992 The Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 Provision Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (MHOR) The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the most important legislation in the area of health and safety. It is an enabling act from which Regulations, codes of practice and guidance notes are made. Duties of Employer To ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all their employees and others who might be affected by the way they go about their work. Definition reasonably practicable To carry out a duty ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’ means that the risk in a particular activity or environment can be balanced against the time, trouble, cost and physical difficulty of taking measures to avoid the risk. The general duties of the HSWA 1974 are developed in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The MHSWR 1999 require the employer to carry out general risk assessments of the overall risks of their operations.

Legal duties of employers To ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of their employees and others who might be affected by the way they go about their work The employer does this by:- Safe plant, equipment and safe systems of work Provision of information, instruction and training Maintenance of the workplace A suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks Providing competent people to assist in their duties Safe use, storage, handling and transportation of loads Planning, organising, controlling, monitoring and reviewing the precautions required by law. Health and Safety at work act - provision and maintenance of plant and safe systems of work safety in the use, storage, handling and transport of loads and substances provision of information, instruction, training and supervision of employees maintenance of a safe workplace, including access and egress maintenance of a safe and healthy working environment. Management of Health and Safety at work regulations to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the health and safety risks to employees and others to make arrangements for planning, organising, controlling, monitoring and reviewing the precautions required by law to provide adequate health surveillance to appoint competent people to help them comply with health and safety law to provide employees with adequate training and instruction to co-operate and co-ordinate with other employers where they share premises or workplaces. PUWER to provide equipment that is suitable to maintain equipment in efficient working order and good repair to provide adequate training information and instruction for employees to ensure equipment complies with European Standard. LOLER The Regulations require lifting equipment: to have adequate strength and stability for its proposed use to be marked to indicate its safe working load to be examined at 6 month intervals for equipment for lifting people, or alternatively an examination scheme can be drawn up and intervals set for thorough examinations based on a risk assessment.

Legal duties of employees To take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who might be affected by their acts or omissions To co-operate with their employer To use equipment provided by their employer as trained and instructed To highlight any shortcomings in the company's H&S arrangements to the International SHE Team HASAWA 1974 to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and those who may be affected by their acts and omissions to co-operate with their employer to enable him to comply with his health and safety duties. Management of H&S at work regs to use equipment provided by their employers as instructed. to highlight to the employer any shortcomings in their H&S arrangements PUWER to use equipment as they have been trained.

Lifting and Shifting – the six steps Think about what tasks in your environment that involve Lifting and lowering loads Reaching above shoulder height Pushing and pulling Carrying loads Task What are the hazards and risks when lifting and shifting? Think about what work tasks involve Lifting and lowering loads Reaching above shoulder height Pushing and pulling Carrying loads GROUP TASK What are the hazards and risks when lifting and shifting?

Step 1 – stop and think Is the load heavy? Do you have to lift this load? Do you need help? Do you need a handling aid? Where do you have to take the load? Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – text below Do you have to lift this load? Is the load heavy? Where do you have to take the load? Do you need help? Do you need a handling aid?

Step 2 – stable base Stand feet wide apart One foot slightly in front of the other along side load Point feet in the direction you intend to go, if you can Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – see text below Stand feet wide apart One foot slightly in front of the other along side load Point feet in the direction you intend to go, if you can

Step 3 – posture and grip Relaxed and Adopt a comfortable good posture Bend your hips and knees Keep your back upright and straight Assess the load again Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – see text below Relaxed and comfortable Adopt a good posture Bend your hips and knees Assess the load again Keep you back upright and straight

Step 4 – Ready to lift No jerky Know your route movements when lifting Get a good grip Keep elbows tucked in Keep close to the load Use legs and thighs Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – see text below Know your route Get a good grip Keep close to the load No jerky movements when lifting Keep elbows tucked in Use legs and thighs

distances, set load down Step 5 – Carrying the load Always keep the load close to your body at waist level If you need to turn use your feet and avoid twisting Don’t attempt to carry too much on stairs When covering long distances, set load down and shake out arms and stretch back Move your feet Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – see text below Always keep the load close to your body at waist level Don’t attempt to carry too much on stairs Move your feet If you need to turn use your feet and avoid twisting When covering long distances, set load down and shake out arms and stretch back

Step 6 – Put load down It’s best to put the load down first then adjust it if necessary Tell them/show them I will now break down each step of the safe lifting technique at slow pace Run through the slides – see text below 1. Its best to put the load down first then adjust it if necessary

Get S.M.A.R.T. Change this for our poster Activity involving all Assess all Close the session