Health and Safety Update - Manual Handling
Update Details: A new Health and Safety update has been issued on Manual Handling. The full article has been emailed to subscribers with the H&S updates preference and is available as a PDF on the Health and Safety Updates page.
Why Manual Handling Matters
Manual handling causes more than a third of all UK workplace injuries each year, ranging from acute back injuries to the upper limb disorders that build over time from repetitive lifting. The term covers lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying, holding and restraining, by hand or by bodily force.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
The update walks through the duties under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, including the hierarchy of control (avoid, assess, reduce) and the four factors that must be considered in any manual handling assessment:
- Task - holding loads away from the body, twisting, stooping, repetitive handling, work rate
- Load - weight, bulk, stability, sharp or hot surfaces, difficulty of grasp
- Environment - floor condition, posture constraints, lighting, exposure to weather, level changes
- Individual capability - health conditions, pregnancy, young workers, training, PPE fit
Manual Handling Risk Assessment and alphaZ Resources
The update names the relevant alphaZ resources for managing manual handling, led by the F-HS31 Manual Handling Assessment form and the RA-HS19 worked example risk assessment. Practical guidance on designing out the risk through storage layout, mechanical aids and worker training is also covered.
Health and Safety updates are issued as part of the ISO and legal update service, so each issue is emailed to subscribers as it is published. Every issue is also listed on the Health and Safety Updates page, where anyone can see what has been covered and alphaZ subscribers can download the updates in pdf format, for topic-specific training or for sending out to workers.
F-HS31 Manual Handling Assessment
RA-HS19 Manual Handling Risk Assessment