More than a third of over-three-day injuries reported are
caused by manual handling activities.Nasar Farooq
considers employers obligations in this area
The Manual Handling Operations
Regulations, implemented in 1More than a third of over-three-day injuries reported are
caused by manual handling activities.Nasar Farooq
considers employers obligations in this area
The Manual Handling Operations
Regulations, implemented in 1992
(amended in 2002) apply to a
variety of activities, including lifting,
lowering, pushing, pulling and carrying a
load (an inanimate object - box or trolley,
or animate object - person or animal).
Under the regulations, so far as is
reasonably practicable, an employer must
avoid the need for hazardous manual
handling operations. Where a hazardous
operation can't be avoided, a thorough
assessment must be undertaken and
measures introduced to either avoid the
risk or reduce it to the lowest possible level.
What do employers need to do to
comply with these regulations?
Identify the risks, consult and inspect -
Employers need to identify all manual
handling activities undertaken that may
pose a risk of injury, referring to a
generic risk assessment of work activities,
they must also consult with employees
and carry out workplace inspections.
Avoid the need - A manual handling
activity that represents a significant risk
should be avoided where possible.
Employers should:
Check whether the material needs to be
moved - can an activity be done from
where the item is located?
Consider automation, mechanisation
and using handling aids such as a
conveyor or electric hoist.
Beware of new hazards introduced
from automation or mechanisations -
e.g. an automated plant needs cleaning
and maintenance, and lift trucks should
have properly trained operators.
Assess the risk of injury
If a manual handling activity cannot be
avoided, a preliminary risk assessment
should be carried out to determine which
activities involve a significant risk of injury
and therefore warrant a full risk assessment.
Once identified, activities must then be
evaluated to determine those that present a
significant risk.
The HSE provides a risk assessment
guideline filter which gives numerical
values of loads above which a risk may exist
- approx 25kg for men and 17kg for
women. Applying these guidelines
provides a reasonable level of protection
to around 95 per cent of working men
and women, but it's important to note the
HSE figures are suggested guidelines and
should only be used as a tool for
determining which operations are risky.
Other factors to consider include
whether the handler twists to the side
during the operation. If so, guideline
figures should be reduced by about 10% if
twisting beyond 45 degrees, and 20% if
twisting beyond 90 degrees. The guidelines
are also only recommended for infrequent
lifting and should be reduced for employees
undertaking over 30 manual handling
operations an hour.
Once activities that pose a significant risk
are identified, employers should undertake
a full risk assessment, looking at the
complete manual handling operation and
anticipating reasonably foreseeable factors.
It should take into account the task, the
load, the environment in which the activity
takes place and the individual's capabilities.
The assessment must be carried out by a
competent person who has an
understanding of the regulations, knowledge
of the operations, judgement of what
constitutes a risk and ability to recommend
reasonably practicable solutions.
Any significant findings should be
recorded and stored in an accessible place,
except when the risks are proved to be
insignificant, the assessment is simple and
easily repeatable, and the handling
operations are low risk, only lasting for a
short period of time.
Reduce the risk
Following the completion of the manual
handling risk assessment, the employer
must introduce suitable risk control
measures to reduce the risk of injury to as
low as possible. Employers should also
regularly monitor their processes to
ensure the effectiveness of risk reduction
measures, and re-assessment must be
carried out where necessary.
Staff training
Employers should also train their staff,
making them aware of their duties and
responsibilities and of the hazards
associated with manual handling
operations, as well as control measures to
avoid or reduce these risks. It should cover:
The risks associated with manual
handling activities
The principles of correct handling, a safe
system of work and the use of any risk
reduction measures provided by the
employer
Precise information on the nature of the
load to be handled, including weight,
centre of gravity and so on
Training is important but it's not enough
on its own and cannot overcome a lack of
mechanical aids, the handling of
unsuitable loads, or poor working
conditions. Employers should look to take
a proactive approach with employees,
talking to them informally about their
tasks and discussing whether
improvements could be made.
Employee duties
Employees also have a duty to take
reasonable care of their own health &
safety. Employees are required to follow
appropriate systems of work laid down for
their safety and make full proper use of
any equipment intended to reduce the risk
of injury from manual handling activities.
They are required to co-operate with their
employer on health and safety matters,
informing them if they identify hazardous
activities and taking care to ensure their
activities don't put others at risk.
Nasar Farooq is health & safety technical
manager at Croner, part of Wolters Kluwer
Top Tips for Safe Handling
Stop and think - Never lift beyond your capability and if in doubt get some help
Avoid the lift - Ask yourself, is it necessary to manually lift the load? Can it be avoided and can mechanical aids be used?
Assess the load - What is the weight? What is its shape and size? Is the heaviest side closest to your body?
Plan the task - Assess your route. Is it clear? Do doors need opening? Is the route level and what's the lighting like?
Team work - Do you need help with the load and who's around to give you instructions?
Personal protective equipment - Do you need gloves, protective footwear or clothing?
Information - Has the activity been risk assessed? Have you been given training to lift the load or sought guidance from management?
