An introduction to manual handling

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 What is “Manual Handling” ?

• Defined in the Manual Handling Operations

Regulations 1992

• ..…any transporting or supporting of a load

(including the lifting, putting down, pushing,
pulling, carrying or moving thereof)
• by hand or by bodily force

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Manual handling -the size of the problem

• In 2005/06 two million people suffered work-

related ill health. Half of those suffered from
MSDs

• Resulting in 10 million working days lost in

2005/06

• And an average time off per person in excess of

17 days

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 What is the main legal requirement?

• The Manual Handling Operations

Regulations 1992 (as amended)
• Booklet L23 contains detailed
guidance on the Regulations (third
edition 2004)

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What about control measures?

Avoid
handling operations involving risk of injury

Assess
operations involving risk of injury that
cannot be avoided

Reduce
the risk of injury eg using handling aids

Review
the assessment - further reduce the risks
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Tackling manual handling problems in the
workplace

Consider these elements:

the Task Task
the Individual
the Load
Individual Load
the Environment

TILE
Environment
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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task
Factors

The task can be further split into

3 elements :
layout
work routine and
team handling

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task
Task layout
Factors Does the task involve:

reaching / holding away from the body

twisting the body
stooping downwards
lifting from floor
lifting above shoulder
poor workplace layout
long carrying distances
static postures/lifting

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task
Work Routine/organisation
Factors Does the task involve:

frequent or prolonged physical effort

repetitive handling

insufficient rest or recovery

a work rate imposed by a process/machine

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task
Team Handling
Factors

Does the task involve:

handling objects by two

or more people?

co-ordination of a group
of people?

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task

Individual Load

Environment

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Load
Factors
Load

The load, is it:

heavy
bulky / unwieldy
difficult to grasp
unstable / unpredictable
harmful to hold

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task

Individual Load

Environment

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Environment
Does the working environment result in :

constraints on posture
slippery / contaminated floors
variations in levels
exposure to extreme heat / cold
strong air movements
poor lighting conditions
consider effects of PPE
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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task

Load
Individual

Environment

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

We are all different

anybody very tall or short

are there age considerations
remember male and female differences…
anybody pregnant or a new mother
anybody have a physical weakness
anybody have a pre-existing injury
adjustments for employees with impairment
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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task

Load
Individual

Environment

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 Manual Handling Risk Factors

Task

Break down each task into

Individual
Individual
these task elements and
assess each part of the task
Load

Environment
Environment
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 Where can you get help with
manual handling assessments ?
HSE publish:
• assessment guidelines
• guidance on the law
• assessment tools,
• industry guidance
• handling aids guidance

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