Ge15 - Manual Handling Awareness: Safe Moving and Handling of Loads December 2014

GE15 - MANUAL HANDLING AWARENESS
Safe moving and handling of loads

December 2014
1 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Manual Handling Courses
Manual Handling for Passenger Services Start

For Passenger Services, Lounge and Ticket Desk employees.
Manual Handling for Airside Employees Start

For Ramp, Operations and Dispatch, Aircraft Fuelling, Cleaning and other
employees working around the aircraft.
Manual Handling for Cargo Employees Start

For Cargo Warehouse and Ramp employees.
Manual Handling Awareness Start

For office-based employees not working in an operational environment.
Anatomy Start
Used as an alternative to the Manual Handling video.
MANUAL HANDLING
Passenger Services

MANUAL HANDLING AWARENESS
Airside Employees

Cargo Employees

Non-Operational Employees

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Explain either verbally or with a practical demonstration the safe

technique for lifting an item from one location and moving it to
another.
• List four examples of when Manual Handling applies to your job

role.
• List three factors that affect the way we lift an object.
• Describe at least one situation you intend to be more careful and

conscious of the way you lift a load.

Content
1. A definition of Manual Handling

2. Employer and Employee Responsibilities
3. Correct Lifting Techniques
4. Assessing the Load
5. Role specific examples

Housekeeping
Evacuation Ask Questions
Turn off phones Be punctual

Manual Handling Definition
Manual Handling is any transporting,

supporting of a load, including lifting, putting
down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving of a
load by hand or bodily force.
Manual Handling Regulations apply to the

manual handling of loads.
The term ‘load’ includes objects, people and

animals.

Legal Responsibilities
Employer Responsibilities
• Ensure as far as is reasonably practical the health, safety and

welfare at work of all employees.
• The provision of information, instruction training and supervision
as necessary to ensure health and safety.
Employee Responsibilities
• To co-operate with Swissport or colleagues so far as is necessary

to comply with statutory duties and requirements affecting health
and safety.
• To take reasonable care of health and safety of yourself and other
persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work.

Injury within the Aviation Industry
69% of Accidents are Manual Handling

Other
Fractures 6%
4%
Lacerations
11%
Contusions
6%
Superficial
4% Strains
sprains
69%
Types of Handling Injuries
47% of Manual Handling injuries involve the Back / Spine

Other
16%
Hand
6% Back, spine
47%
Lower limb
5%
Upper limb
11%
Finger
15%
Correct Lifting Techniques
1. Stop and think

2. Position the feet
3. Assess the load
4. Adopt a good posture
5. Get a firm grip
6. Keep close to the load
7. Put down slowly, using the reverse lifting technique

Incorrect Lifting Techniques
To reduce the risk of injury to your back when lifting, you must avoid:
• Reaching / Stretching
• Bending
• Stooping
• Twisting

‘Childs play’ Video

Posture THE IMPORTANCE OF POSTURE
O P
Poor posture during manual handling introduces the additional risk of
losing control of the load.

Bending and Twisting STOOPING
OO
Bending concentrates pressure on the toes, causing stiffness of the
legs and back. When the feet are too close together it causes loss of
balance.
Twisting can cause injury, especially if twisting and lifting a load.

Assess the Load THE LOAD
TOO LARGE UNWIELDY SLIPPERY
19 SHARP
Dec 2014 EDGES
Swissport International Ltd. TOO HEAVY
Team Lift
You may need to use a “team” to lift a item. Use however many
people you think that you will need.
If a team lift is required work with people of similar build and height,
if possible.
• Choose one person to call the signals

• Lift from the hips at the same time, then raise the load to the
desired level
• Move slowly and at the same time
• Never carry heavy loads up or down stairs, use a lift

Maximum Weights
UK law limits an individual bag to a maximum of 32Kg. No airline in

the UK will accept a piece of baggage higher.
This does not mean that Swissport expects an individual to lift up to

32kg. Assistance may be required. Everyone will have their own
personal abilities and limitations.
Before any lift, an assessment should be made of the task in hand,

and after assessing a weight, a decision made as to whether or not
you feel confident and able to lift such a load.
Maximum
32kg
Heavy Tags
Generally, bags that weigh more than 20kg should have a heavy tag
on them. This is how the check in agent can warn the loading staff of
the weight, before they attempt to load.
From time to time the heavy tags can come unfastened from the
bags so do not assume that if the bag/item has not got a heavy tag it
is not heavy!
It is always good practice to assess the weight of the bag before

lifting it. This can be done by a slight lift or nudge to one corner,
rather than trying to lift the whole thing.

Manual Handling Essentials Video

MANUAL HANDLING
Passenger Services

Check-in - Hazards
O Standing on hard floors or

sitting for long periods of time
can fatigue the back and leg
muscles.
Working while assuming

awkward neck and wrist
postures can cause discomfort
and may lead to
musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs).
Check-in - Solutions
Wear comfortable and supportive

shoes.
Adjustable chairs that allow check in

agents to change postures while
working behind the counter.

P
Check-in - Hazards
O Extended or repetitive reaches

across the counter to retrieve
items from passengers (bag tags,
boarding cards, etc.) or to lift or
tag baggage can cause back and
shoulder injuries.

Check-in - Hazards
O
Lifting excessively heavy or oddly
shaped baggage.
Lifting bags from the ground when

assisting passengers.
Bending over to tag or lift baggage.
Lifting baggage by the handle with

one hand causes unequal
distribution of the load and may
fatigue grip strength and stress the
back and shoulders.

Check-in - Solutions
P
Ensure the printer is placed at an
appropriate height to reduce
bending and twisting motions.
Tag baggage while it is on the

weighing scales to avoid
repeatedly lifting it to a temporary
position on the floor and then
lifting it again to the main
conveyor.
Allow the passenger to place the

luggage on the belt themselves.

AIRSIDE

Potential Causes of Accidents on the ramp
• Bad Habits
• Space constraints
• Time constraints
• Variable / unknown weights
• Peer group pressure
• Individual capability (knees/weight/flexibility)
• Lack of Awareness

Belt Loader – Hazards
Positioning the bottom of the belt

loader too low may cause
bending at the waist when
placing or removing baggage.
O
Positioning the bottom of the belt
loader too high may cause
agents to raise their shoulders or
extend their elbows away from
their body when placing or
removing baggage.

Belt Loader – Solutions
When unloading the trailer, the vertical position of the belt loader
should be level with or just below the trailer bottom if possible.

P
Belt loader – Solutions
When taking bags from the belt loader to the trailer, raise the belt to
waist height. This reduces bending and facilitates loading by working
with gravity (moving from a higher location to a lower location).

P
Loading Trolleys
Place the trailer approximately two

feet away from the bottom of the
belt. This minimizes reaching,
pulling, and pushing
For a single person, positioning at

45 degrees to enable better
positioning and posture.
Rotate team members around to

avoid long term duplication of
specific tasks.

Beltloader – Hazards
Positioning the top of the belt

loader too low forces agents to
bend and lift bags up to put them
onto the aircraft hold.
Positioning the top of the belt

loader too far away from the
O
trailer may require agents to
reach to pull bags into the
aircraft hold.

Beltloader – Solutions
For loading - Position the belt

loader in line with the edge of
the hold floor to avoid
unnecessary lifting into the
hold.
P
For unloading - Position the belt
loader slightly lower than floor
level to allow the bags to slide
out and onto the belt without
lifting.

Gate Items – Hazards
Carrying gate items by hand from

the lounge to the aircraft places
stress on the shoulders and back,
especially if the items are large or
heavy.
Additional risks such as falling, or

tripping are also a factor.
38 Dec 2014 O
Swissport International Ltd.
Gate Items – Solutions
Use a hand truck or small manual

trailer to move individual items of
baggage over long distances.
Use elevators, chutes, slides, or

mechanical lifting devices when
possible.

P P
Space Constraints – Hazards
Handling heavy, awkward, and large

bags in a limited space places the
agent in stressful positions that can
result in injury.
Frequent lifting may lead to

insufficient recovery time and muscle
fatigue.
Performing extended reaches while

working in limited spaces can stress
the neck and shoulders.

Space Constraints – Solutions
P P
Kneel on both knees when pushing bags in the hold or use one
knee and one foot. Minimize twisting by kneeling at an angle to the
belt in the direction of loading.
Use kneepads to reduce contact trauma and abrasive injuries

when kneeling on hard surfaces.
Space Constraints
O P

Positioning Steps – Hazards
When positioning steps onto

an aircraft be mindful of the
sudden movement of the
steps.
Steps can be very heavy and

awkward to get moving but
O
once they start to move can be
difficult to stop, do not move
steps without assistance.

Positioning Steps – Solutions
P P
Seek assistance from team members. This usually requires two
people, depending on the types of steps in use.
Select one person to call the instruction being as vocal as possible.

Handling a ULD – Hazards
O
Large containers with
unpredictable movements.
Sharpe edges on ULD’s.
Stuck or trapped ULD’s in the

aircraft holds.

Handling a ULD – Solutions
P P
Utilise the handles straps that are built into the Unit Loading Devices.
Stay close to the ULD and communicate with your team members.
Keep a good posture whilst positioning the ULD’s.

CARGO WAREHOUSE

Warehouse – Hazards
O O
Outstretched arms with load delivery – our backs are not designed
to do this.
Stress on the lower back is increased if twisted trunk postures are

adopted.
Warehouse – Hazards
O O
Reaching upward places additional stresses on the arms and back.
Stooping can also increase the stress on the lower back.

Moving loads over distance
O P
Always use mechanical lifting aids where they are available.

Pushing and Pulling
When pushing or pulling, grip between foot and floor and wear
safety footwear.
ANATOMY
Slides used as an alternative to the video

Strains & Sprains
Muscles and ligaments can be injured by

over exertion.
Cumulative strain is defined as the

progressive degeneration or stiffening of the
body muscle tissue due to habitual excessive
or prolonged exertion or loading.
It is the result of actions and movements that

build up tissue damage over time and
eventually result in injury.

Anatomy of a Curve
Anatomy of a curve
THE SPINAL CORD is the

Your spine is made up of pliable main nerve that runs
bones and soft tissue that work from your brain through your
together to help you move spine
If one or more of the parts of
your spine are not doing their VERTEBRAE are moveable
share, your spine may not be bones that gives the spine its’
able to work as it should, which shape and house and protect
can lead to spinal degeneration your spinal cord and spinal
nerves
DISCS help to cushion and

connect your vertebrae,
MUSCLES help to hold up absorbing “shock” when you
your spine and permit move
movement by contracting JOINTS in the vertebrae
(facets) connect the bones,
LIGAMENTS hold your allowing their movement
vertebrae together
NERVES branching from
your spinal cord exit through
openings between vertebrae

Vertebrae Vertebrae
The back contains 24 vertebra which are separated discs, that act as
cushions and allow the spine to bend.
Vertebrae

Discs Discs
Discs are largely composed of water and are made of tough fibrous
tissue and cartilage.
They have little or no blood supply and therefore take a long time to
heal if they become damaged.
Discs

Disc Action Discs Action

Damaged/injured
Damaged / Injured Discs discs
Normal Disc
Degenerated Disc
Bulging Disc
Herniated Disc
Thinning Disc
Degeneration of Disc
with Osteophyte
Formation

Ligaments Ligaments
Ligaments are made of strong fibrous tissue. They hold our bones
together and prevent excessive movement.
If the force applied to a ligament is too great, it can be over stretched
and become inflamed, or in an extreme case can be torn.
A damaged ligament is called a “sprain”.
Ligaments

Spinal Chord Spinal Cord
Is half an inch thick and eighteen inches long, it controls all the
activities below the neck, and if damaged it takes a long time to
heal.
Spinal Cord

Manual Handling Essentials Video

Any Questions?
Can you list the safe lifting techniques?
Can you list hazards and solutions for your area of work?
Any Questions?

Swissport International Ltd. · P.O. Box · 8058 Zurich-Airport · Switzerland
www.swissport.com

Ge15 - Manual Handling Awareness: Safe Moving and Handling of Loads December 2014

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GE15 - MANUAL HANDLING AWARENESS

Safe moving and handling of loads

1 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Manual Handling for Passenger Services Start

Manual Handling for Airside Employees Start

Manual Handling for Cargo Employees Start

Manual Handling Awareness Start

3 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

4 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

5 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

6 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

• Explain either verbally or with a practical demonstration the safe

• List four examples of when Manual Handling applies to your job

• List three factors that affect the way we lift an object.

• Describe at least one situation you intend to be more careful and

7 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

1. A definition of Manual Handling

8 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Evacuation Ask Questions

Turn off phones Be punctual

Manual Handling is any transporting,

Manual Handling Regulations apply to the

The term ‘load’ includes objects, people and

10 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

• Ensure as far as is reasonably practical the health, safety and

• To co-operate with Swissport or colleagues so far as is necessary

11 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

69% of Accidents are Manual Handling

47% of Manual Handling injuries involve the Back / Spine

1. Stop and think

14 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

15 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

16 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

17 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Twisting can cause injury, especially if twisting and lifting a load.

18 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

TOO LARGE UNWIELDY SLIPPERY

• Choose one person to call the signals

20 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

UK law limits an individual bag to a maximum of 32Kg. No airline in

This does not mean that Swissport expects an individual to lift up to

Before any lift, an assessment should be made of the task in hand,

It is always good practice to assess the weight of the bag before

22 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

23 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

24 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

O Standing on hard floors or

Working while assuming

Wear comfortable and supportive

Adjustable chairs that allow check in

26 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

O Extended or repetitive reaches

27 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Lifting bags from the ground when

Bending over to tag or lift baggage.

Lifting baggage by the handle with

28 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

Tag baggage while it is on the

Allow the passenger to place the

29 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

30 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.

31 Dec 2014 Swissport International Ltd.