Manual handling

05 April 2004 by
Manual handling

Under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 employers have a general duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees, so far as is reasonably practicable. This extends in particular to ensuring the safe use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances. In addition, under the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must assess the risks to health and safety arising from their work activities.

Injuries can result not only from isolated activities involving very heavy loads, such as the handling of kitchen stores, but also from the cumulative effect of inappropriate handling procedures. This type of risk is particularly significant in the catering and hospitality industry where items such as tables and chairs are frequently stacked or re-arranged, and serving involves the repetitive carrying of significant loads, often including hot liquids which present an additional hazard in the event of a spill.

Requirements

More specific requirements are imposed by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Employers must:

  • avoid the need for manual handling operations that involve a risk of injury;
  • carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments on any such manual handling operations that cannot be avoided
  • introduce suitable measures to reduce the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable
  • take appropriate steps to provide general indications (and where reasonably practicable precise information) on the weight of any load. Where the centre of gravity of the load is not positioned centrally, information should be provided as to which is the heaviest side.

Over a third of the injuries reported each year to the enforcing authorities arise from improper manual handling of loads.

Manual handling includes:

  • lifting
  • putting down
  • pushing
  • pulling
  • carrying
  • or moving…

…loads by hand or bodily force.

Poor handling can cause serious back and limb injuries that may result in an employee being permanently unable to carry out work. As a result, if employers do not comply with the law in this area, they are likely to face future enforcement action, including prosecution. Apart from the personal implications for the staff involved, such injuries may lead to a serious loss of productivity.

The prime legal requirement is to avoid the need for hazardous manual handling operations in the first place. Where risk assessments must be carried out, they must be made against a list of specific factors set out in Schedule 1 of the Manual Handling Regulations.

Risk assessments

Risk assessments need to be kept under review and updated, particularly if there is reason to suspect that they are no longer valid or if there has been a significant change in the relevant manual handling operation. The Health and Safety Executive guidance to the regulations contains an appendix with guideline figures that indicate on the basis of risk of injury whether a detailed assessment is required. It also has an assessment checklist.

Training and record keeping

It is a legal requirement to give proper training to employers. This would include training in lifting techniques where employees have to carry out manual handling operations. For larger organisations it may be sensible to have a manual on such techniques. All risk assessments need to be in writing, and records should also be kept of all training given to staff. Records must also be kept of accidents reported under RIDDOR (see article on accident reporting).

Prevention

Manual handling operations that involve a risk of injury can often be avoided altogether by altering workspace layouts to reduce the need for items to be moved regularly or for heavy items to be moved at all. Processes can often be mechanised or automated, at costs which are not necessarily high when the true cost of physical injury is taken into account. Tasks should be redesigned to reduce unnecessary movements, particularly awkward movements such as twisting. It is particularly important to avoid slippery floors if manual handling is carried out. Proper handling procedures can often minimise the risks involved.

by Charles Arrand
Charles Arrand is an associate at the regulatory group at law firm DLA.

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