Save yourself from Manual Handling Headaches – Our prevention guide.

Did you know manual handling regularly causes absences within the workplace? Something we, as business owners work so hard to limit, often can be occurring as a result of our own working practices!

According to HSE (Health and Safety Executive), from 2019-2020 over 38 million working days were lost due to work-related injuries in Great Britain.

We all know that manual handling training is a business owners’ responsibility, but very few grasp how many injuries and illnesses can occur as a result of incorrect manual handling.

What does manual handling look like?

Does your team have to pick up certain items, such as equipment, or laundry, and carry them around? This is manual handling!

Although objects often seem harmless, when ‘handled’ incorrectly they can lead to a whole host of injuries. Those who already have previous injuries must also be extra cautious when it comes to manual handling, as they can disrupt or aggravate an older injury or weakness.

In recent years, society has seen an increase in hybrid working. This is where people are working from home some days and at their workplace on others. Hybrid working means carrying potentially heavy equipment, such as laptops or other technical goods to and from the workplace. This in itself is putting them at risk of injury.

What is the result of ignoring manual handling advice?

Is a member of your staff suffering from backpain? It could be that they have handled something incorrectly.

Manual handling isn’t just something you see in factories or places with hard labour, it is far more common than you think. The increase in hybrid working is clear example of how easy it can be to sustain an injury. Manual handling needs to be managed as the sickness and absence rates are high and therefore, the costs to your business can subsequently be high.

If your business has not been shown to have educated and supported staff correctly, then should an individual become injured in the workplace, your business can face prosecution too. This can be costly for a business, both in price and reputation.

What is best practice and why is it important?

What can you do to prevent manual handling injuries at work and protect both your business and your staff?

• Train your staff: Having a manual handling risk assessment for your staff will help them understand the nature of the task, the type of load they will be carrying and the environment it will be conducted in. Ensuring your staff are trained and well equipped to undertake these tasks will greatly reduce the risk of injury as they will be sufficiently prepared.
• Accident investigation: If there is an injury that occurs through manual handling, ensure an accident investigation takes place.
• Know your staff: Make sure you are fully aware of your staff’s capabilities, so that the appropriate people can support them and can reduce their risk. For example, if there is an older employee who already suffers from back pain, you could consider giving responsibility of the task to someone who is less at risk of getting hurt.
• Standardisation of approach: All sectors that require manual handling all have different approaches, it would be good to streamline them and produce a guide for all to follow safely. Follow L23 Manual Handling advice from HSE. This advice is critical when determining the level of risk assessment and use of filters.You can access this advice here. You should also look at Manual Handling Assessment Charts (The MAC Tool) here. For those responsible for health and safety in a workplace, you may find the Risk Assessment for Pushing and Pulling (The RAPP Tool) useful, which you can view here. There is a standard full manual handling assessment tool for all businesses, but dependent on your industry type determines your need for them.
• Conduct a manual handling risk assessment: During this, you should think about the following main elements: the nature of the task, the individual’s capabilities, the load’s characteristics, and the environmental layout. The makes up the acronym ‘TILE’, which can be taught during staff training.

Manual handling tasks are inevitable no matter what job you’re in. It’s your responsibility as a business owner to prevent your staff from getting injured. Train them, educate them and assess their capabilities. Protect your business from prosecution and save your staff from harm.

If you would like more advice and help with manual handling, get in touch with Clive at CT Health and Safety today.