15_SH_June 24/5/07 08:39 Page 16
■ Health and Safety
in proportion to the benefits. You should • Excessive pushing or
definitely provide mechanical aids if it is pulling of loads;
reasonably practicable to do so and the risk • Risk of sudden
identified in tour risk assessment can be movement of loads;
reduced or eliminated by this means. But you • Frequent or
should consider mechanical aids in other prolonged physical
situations as well – they can improve effort;
productivity as well as safety. Remember, all • Insufficient rest or
staff will need to be trained in safe manual recovery periods;
handling techniques and should include • A rate of work
Image courtesy of HSE website
manual handling risk factors and how injuries imposed by a
can occur, how to carry out safe manual process?
handling techniques, appropriate systems of
work for the individuals tasks and The loads – are
environment, use of mechanical aids and they:
practical work to allow the trainer to identify • Heavy;
and put right anything the trainee is not doing • Bulky or
safely. unwieldy;
Factors to be take into account with regard • Difficult to
to manual handling are: grasp; Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended),
• Unstable or with contents likely to shift; Guidance on Regulations L23 ISBN 0 7176
The tasks – do they involve: • Sharp, hot or otherwise potentially 2823, HSE books 2004 which gives
• Holding, or manipulating loads at distance damaging? guidelines on assessing risk while lifting,
from the trunk; pulling, pushing and handling while seated.
• Unsatisfactory bodily movement or The working environment – are there: Practical advice on measures to reduce the
posture such as twisting the trunk, stooping, • Space constraints, preventing good risk of injury and an example of an
reaching upwards; posture; assessment checklist.
• Excessive movement of loads; • Uneven, slippery or unstable floors;
• Variations in levels of Manual Handling Solutions you can handle
floors or work surface; HSG 115, HSE books 1994 ISBN 07176 0693
• Extremes of work 7
temperatures;
• Conditions causing A pain in your workplace? Ergonomic
ventilation problems or gusts of problems and solutions. HSG 121, HSE books
winds; 1994 ISBN 0 7176 0668 6
• Poor lighting conditions?
Getting to grips with Manual Handling – a
Individual capability – does short guide. INDG 143 ISBN 0 7176 2828 0
the job:
• Require unusual strength, These priced and free publications are
height etc; available by mail order from HSE books, PO
• Create a hazard to those Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolck, CO 10 2WA,
who might reasonably be Telephone 01787 881165, website
considered to be pregnant or www.hsebooks.co.uk . Free leaflets can also
have a health problem; be downloaded from the Health and Safety
• Require special information Executive’s website:
or training for its safe
www.hse.gov.uk
Image courtesy of HSE website
performance?
Other factors:
Michael Collier is a Chartered Safety and
Health Practitioner, with a Post Graduate
• Is movement or posture
Diploma in Occupational and Environmental
hindered by personal protective
Health and Safety Management.
equipment or by clothing?
His role within Storage Equipment Safety
Service Ltd., is to head up a new division
There are a number of
with specific regard to all areas of Health
publications which can help and Safety Management, as well as
you with carrying out your
Environmental Management Systems to
Above: Publications such as ‘The Manual Handling Assessment
duties, for example:
ISO 14001 Standard, working with a
Chart’, available from the Health and Safety Executive, can help
number of blue chip companies. He can be
you with carrying out your duties. The Manual Handling
contacted on michael.collier@sess.co.uk.
16 ShD 2007
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